The Curse of the Deity Mask
by IsabelleAuthor
Summary: When a young girl escapes from the dangerous scene of a destroyed village and a skeleton army, she trends upon a mask. But when she puts it on, she becomes a deity and unable to take the mask off! What will happen to this girl? Let's find out!
1. Prologue

Izzy: Welcome, my dear readers, to the world of Hyrule in this chapter story called The Curse of the Deity Mask! I certainly hope you enjoy it with glad hearts and-

Roecliff: You make this sound like a Shakespeare play!

Izzy: It's drama at its height!

Roecliff: Oh, brother!

Izzy: Begin the prologue!

Disclaimer: I wish I did, but I do NOT own Zelda. Enjoy!

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><p>A cry was the first thing she heard when she woke up from her deep slumber. A young woman with massed, red hair, and dark blue eyes that showed concern and weariness jumped out of her bed and rushed over to the crib in the corner of the room. Hanging from above was a mobile with music notes of different shapes put together with wire and paper. Her eyes landed inside the bed where a newborn babe laid, red faced and wet with tears as it wailed with a soft, but continuous cry.<p>

"Oh, Melody! What's wrong now?" the woman asked the sad bundle with an exhausted expression.

She picked up the baby, wrapping it tight in the rich green blanket for warmth and held it close.

"Shhhh," the woman hushed. "It's alright. Mother's here. There's nothing to worry about."

She began to hum a familiar tune: a song that was close to her heart. A song that she once sang to an old friend. The baby started to calm down. It sniffled and looked up at the mother. The woman stared at those eyes. They were a deep, but bright blue. They were the eyes of love and care, strength and courage, and deep thought.

_Just like her father_, she thought to herself.

Her nose tickled and her eyes started to get wet as she sighed. _Oh, why did you have to leave? Why? _

She walked over to the window and looked outside. It was still dark and the stars shined brightly in the night sky. The moon hung over...were those dark clouds forming?

_Probably another storm, _she thought_. _

She looked down and saw that the baby had fallen asleep, so she walked back to the crib and, with gentle care, placed it back in it's bed.

As she did so, she heard something. It wasn't a cucco sound or any of the cows and horses. It sounded more like...like footsteps. No, several footsteps. There was rattling of metal like armor bumping armor.

_Soldiers? Here? What could this mean? Unless he has come back. Could it be him after leaving for seven months? Oh, I hope so! _

She grabbed a robe, opened the door and quickly rushed down the stairs to the door.

BAM! It opened abruptly and at the door stood three Stalfos soldiers!

Her face went pale in fright. She looked around and grabbed a pitchfork at the corner of the room.

"Get out of my house, boneheads!"She shouted

The swiped the tool at the monsters, knocking them over. However, she never noticed two more creatures appearing behind her. They grabbed her by the arms,threw aside the fork, and dragged her out of the house.

"Let me go!" she demanded. "Let. me. go!"

But the soldiers kept marching. She struggled to break free to no avail. What did they want from her? What was going on? Near the gate to her property, she was flung to the ground.

"Look what we found, your excellency," she heard one of the guards say.

"Well, what a pleasant surprise. Didn't think there was still anyone left here."

The voice. She knew that voice too well. Deep, dark, cruel, and cold. The voice of evil. She looked up.

The first thing she saw was a black stallion, rearing its head in pride and flashing its red eyes as if it was laughing at her fear.

Then she saw her fear being confirmed.

A huge man was seated on the steed. His dark black skin looked almost green in the light that illuminated from the lanterns and torches surrounding them. From top to bottom, he was very muscular which showed what kind of strength he bore. His clothes were as dark except for the elegant red cape that flapped in the small, cold wind that blew, making the woman's teeth chatter. He had red hair that was slightly spiked at the top of his head and fell at the back of his thick neck. His face was square and bulky with his pointed nose sticking out from it. The grin he had was curled only on one side of his face, showing amusement.

But the most frightening feature she saw were his eyes: piercing red, empty, cold, and they smiled in a way that sent shivers down your spine as they looked at you.

_It's impossible! _she thought in horror._ It can't be! He can't be back!_

"You..." she harshly said in a low tone.

"So you do know me?" the man grinned.

"Impossible!" the woman declared. "You were locked away! You couldn't have escaped!

The man's lips smiled as he chuckled, showing his straight, white teeth.

"My dear girl, so naive!" he teased. "Let's just say that two people had overlooked a...minor detail. Behold!"

He raised his left had. At first there was nothing, but then something glowed on the back of it. Three triangles appeared, but only the top triangle glowed the brightest.

"As you can see," he continued, "I still hold the most powerful object in the world. And thanks with some...assistance, I broke the seals and escaped from that dreaded sacred realm. Those two may had weakened me, but overtime I gained my strength back because of one thing: revenge! I shall gain control of the world once again and rule it forever!"

"Never!" the woman stated boldly. "You won't win! The Hero of Time will stop you before you have a chance!"

The man laughed with amusement. "Silly girl, he can't stop me this time. He's dead!"

Her eyes widened in shock. "What? Dead? You..."

"Killed him?" the man finished for her "Yes, I did, and he didn't even suspect that he would fall into a trap as he was heading back to his precious home."

Anger rose inside of her. She struggled against the soldiers, temporarily breaking free.

"You're lying!" she shouted in disbelief. "He's not dead! You monster!"

She was grabbed quickly by the soldiers before she reached the dark man, who was laughing at the site.

"I see why you don't believe in me," he confirmed. "I am known to be a very good liar, but I am being sincere."

"If that's the case, then why are you here?" the woman questioned.

Then man sat up in his steed, still looking down at the fair maiden. "I just want to make sure that the Hero's blood hasn't continued on."

_The Hero's blood?_ The woman though in shock._ He means Melody! _

"I never had children, if that's what you're thinking," she denied. "Never had..."

Then, breaking the silence, was a wail. A babe's wail. She looked over and saw a Stalfos soldier approached the dark man, carrying her baby still wrapped in the blanket.

Oh, no! Melody!The woman exclaimed inside.

"Look what I've found, sire!"the soldier snarled in pleasure.

He handed the child to the man.

The woman stood up to reach for her child, but the soldiers grabbed her before she got the chance to run.

"NO!" She pleaded. "Please leave her alone! She's just a baby!"

The man looked at the crying infant. A mischievous smile crossed his dark face.

"Well, well, well," he smirked. "What do we have here? A little baby. An adorable one at that." He stroke the baby's cheek with his massive fingers. "It appears this child means a lot to you, doesn't it?"

He looked at the woman, showing his teeth, then turned his attention to the buildings.

"But, you know, a child like this deserves much more than this place, am I right?" he asked the woman deviously.

He glanced at one of the soldiers holding a torch. "Burn this place down!"

"No!" the woman shouted.

The soldiers got to work. They grabbed the lanterns and threw them into the windows of the house and with the torches lit the hay. Soon,the whole place was a bonfire. The animals rushed out of the stables and coops to get away from the blazing fury. The woman watched in horror at the scene of chaos.

_The ranch! Oh, the ranch! After years of building, I get to see it burn to ruins!_

With anger and bitterness, she looked at the man, but he wasn't paying attention to the burning ranch. He was looking at the child that he was holding. He was whispering something to her, but she couldn't make out what he was saying.

"Leave her alone! She's innocent! She hasn't done anything to you!"

Then man looked at her in thought. "Hm, you're right about that...but, then again, I can't take any chances."

Then, with a smile of victory, he flung the child into the wild fire.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" the mother screamed. "MELODEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYY!"

The woman's sorrows and fears lashed out in her words. She fought the soldiers holding her back. She kept screaming so loud that everyone in the world could hear her woe. Tears ran in remorse.

"MY BABY! MY MELODY! NOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Take her away!" the man ordered and the skeletal structures dragged the wailing and weeping woman from the destruction of everything she knew and loved.

But little did she know what happened once she was taken out of sight.

The man sensed something nearby and anger struck his soul as he turned. There, among the flames was a hooded figure with a beard white as snow and deep brown eyes. His lips frowned as he looked at the dark man and he shook his head.

In his arms was the baby in the green blanket, safe and unharmed.

Then both the man and child disappeared in the flames. The dark man glared into the flames and pointed his finger into the emptiness of the hot glow.

"Just you wait, old man," the dark one growled. "I will find her, and when I do, I will kill her before she gets a chance to redeem this world. She won't be able to stop me!"

He looked up to the sky an then shouted to the top of his lungs:

"YOU HEAR ME? I WILL BE VICTORIOUS! I AM GANONDORF, LORD OF THE GERUDOS, KING OF THE WORLD! I WILL FUFILL MY REVENGE!"

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><p>Izzy: Oh no! Ganondorf has returned and now the Hero of Time is dead!<p>

Roecliff: Looks like the world is doomed after all.

Izzy: Or is it? What so special about this baby? Why did the King of Evil want to kill her? Who is the mysterious man that saved the child? Find out in Chapter One!

Roecliff: Please review!


	2. Duty and Honor

Izzy: Hi, everyone! Welcome back! I see I haven't scared anyone away yet! That's a good sign!

Roecliff: How do you know they're reading this?

Izzy: I have telepathy!

Roecliff: (T_T) Why me?

Izzy: Anyway! Happy Reading!

Disclaimer: Do not own Zelda whatsoever! I do own most of the stuff mentioned in this chapter, however. YAY! To the story!

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><p>Melody sat up quickly, the great pain in her chest, reminding her to breathe. Her face was drenched in sweat, which she wiped off as she slowly caught her breath. She never had such a nightmare! Dark clouds, near escapes, and a white figure trying to posses her body. It was too much for her to bear. She wanted to scream in terror, but her lungs felt tight as she inhaled the musty air.<p>

_No more cucco eggs at midnight for me_, she thought.

Finally able to breathe normally, she slumped back into the bed. It was stuffed with hay and cucco feathers for extra comfort, but an occasional piece of straw would stick out, poking her body. She sighed. No way was she going back to sleep after that nightmare. She crawled out of bed and walked over to her window.

She lived in a big oak tree just on the edge of the Dark Forest with her bedroom window overlooking the land below. A few rows of trees with their leaves just changing into the vibrant colors of autumn stretched out before her. Lying beyond the trees was an open-sky grassy field that was spread out across her vision. At the edge of the horizon she could see the village of Meladon with its high walls and tall buildings. It looked more like a town than a village, but the people never bothered with changing the name of it. The sun was just rising for the cucco to crow the morning to welcome its presence. Birds began their daily routine, chirping a song and flying across the warm-colored sky.

"MELODY!" a voice shouted from below her.

She turned toward her door and yelled back, "Yes, mother?"

"Get dressed and have your breakfast!" the voice told her.

"Okay!" the girl replied.

Taking one last glance outside, she scurried to her chest and changed from her nightgown to a white shirt, a green skirt and a green scarf loosely tied around her neck, and brown boots. She walked over to the mirror and brushed out her long red hair and parted her face-length bangs. She scanned herself and, satisfied with her casual look, went out of her bedroom door.

The first thing she saw was a long, spiral staircase on the edge of the round wall. She began to descend quickly down the steps. After awhile, she got tired of it and looked at the rail. A smile crossed her face as she had thought of a brilliant idea. She jumped on the rail and slid all the way down and right into the kitchen. The smell of delicious food reached her nose.

It was a small kitchen, but it was large enough for a family of three to eat in. A small table was set with three bowls and glasses and in the middle of it was a jar of milk. At the stove was a woman with short, white hair who had her back turned toward Melody, stirring something on a pot. The woman turned to her and smiled when Melody hopped down from the banister.

"There you are," she said sweetly in her small voice. "For a moment I was beginning to wonder if you were going to oversleep today."

"I probably would have," Melody replied, leaning on the back of her chair, "If it wasn't for my dream waking me up."

"What kind of dream, sweetheart?" the woman asked with worry.

"Um...just a dream." She didn't want her mother to worry too much. When it came to dreams, good or bad, she always thought that they were an omen.

The door burst open, letting in the cool, autumn air. A man with short, black hair and bright brown eyes stood in the doorway, carrying logs of wood in his big arms.

"Good morning, ladies!" he said with a big smile on his stubby face.

He laid down the wood next to a bigger pile of logs in the corner, walked over to the woman, and gave her a brushed kiss on the cheek.

"Good morning, Garen," she replied.

Garen looked at Melody. "And how is my favorite girl?"

He walked over and gave her a bear hug.

"Just fine, father," she grunted, feeling the pressure of his arms around her body. She thought that she would have gotten used to it by now.

Garen let her go, giving her room to breathe.

"Good to hear! Hoped you slept well, little bud." He winked at her.

He was a charmer by all means when it came to the ladies, but mostly to his wife, although she found it irritating sometimes when they got into fights and all he wanted to do was say gushy words to her.

He sat down and Melody followed suit. Melody's mother walked over with the pot and spooned out the food: creamy rice, maple sap, and assorted nuts and fruits. It was a delicacy in the home and Melody's favorite dish. Rice was usually expensive because it was imported from Hyrule and sap was usually gathered during the winter season when it was fresh, warm, and sweet.

"My dear Sonya," Garen said, surprised at the dish being served in his bowl. "We don't normally have Creamy Rice Delight this early in the fall. What's the special occasion?"

Sonya dished out her portion and set down the pot. A huge smile came across her face and her gray eyes seemed to turn silver as they dazzled in excitement.

"Garen, Melody," she calmly began. "I just want to tell you first that I did what you suggested when I wasn't feeling well for the past month. I found out that I wasn't really ill, but I found out something better." Her smile got bigger. "I'm pregnant."

Melody's bright blue eyes widened in shock. _She's pregnant? _

Garen got excited. "A...a...a..a...a baby? We're going to have a baby? Oh, thank Nayru! She has blessed us!"

He stood up, rushed over to Sonya, and picked her up to spin her around in joy and laughter. "We're going to have our first child!"

Melody had always known that she was adopted in the family when they had no kids of their own, so having their first child was a big deal to them. Even she thought it was worthy news.

"Oh, mother, that's wonderful! Congratulations!"

"Thank you, dear," she replied with tears of joy in her eyes. "This is the best day I've had in a long time!"

They settled down to breakfast, but Garen was almost too excited to eat. He kept talking about the baby that would come and hope it would be a son. Melody just sat there, listening to him and looking at Sonya. She had never seen them so happy and there was a sort of glow about them. A glow of pure joy and happiness.

"Hey sweetheart?" asked Sonya.

Melody snapped back into reality. "Hmm?"

"Were you planning on going to the village today?" her mother asked.

Melody shook her head. "No, I wasn't planning to. Why?"

"I need a few things from the village for dinner tonight," the older female mentioned to her. "I was wondering if you could get some for me?"

"Be glad to," she replied after swallowing her last bite of rice.

Her mother handed her a piece of paper from her pocket. She looked at the list carefully: Romani Milk, potatoes, pumpkins, meat, greens, and sugar. She thought that it was kind of random to have sugar on the list.

"HEY MEL! YOU UP THERE?" shouted a young, male voice.

Melody smiled. She knew that voice anywhere. She stood up from the table and looked out the window.

Down below was a boy about her age with short, matted brown hair and dark green eyes. He had two strands of beads hanging on both sides of his face and a scarf tied around his forehead.

"Tiko!" she cried out. "What are you doing out here?"

"I was sent by the mayor to come get you," Tiko yelled back. "He wants to talk to you. Says it's important."

"Mayor Tuffer wants to speak to me...about something important?" Melody asked incredulously.

"Do I have to repeat myself?" the boy asked as he placed his hands on his hips in impatience.

"Not unless you want to." She smiled. She loved to make fun of Tiko ever since they were little. It seemed like the older they got, the more pick-able he became.

"Oh, come on, Mel!" Tiko whined. "We can't keep the mayor waiting!"

"As you cannot tell, I'm in the middle of eating breakfast," Melody informed her friend.

"Breakfast, shmeckfast!" Tiko said with a roll of his eyes. "Don't make excuses!"

Melody walked back to the table, grabbed her glass of milk, and walked back to the window.

"Here's proof!" She said as she dumped the milk on top of Tiko.

"AW! MELODY!" He growled as he shook the milk off his arms.

She heard Garen laughing.

"Oh, you two crack me up!" he said.

"Melody," she heard Sonya say. "That wasn't very nice."

Melody looked over at her. Fortunately, her mother was also smiling, containing her laughter in a small giggle.

"Why don't you get going so you don't keep the mayor _and_ Tiko waiting," she told Melody. "Besides, you can always have more food later."

Melody grinned. "Okay."

She set down her glass, gave her parents a kiss, and rushed out the door.

Once on the landing, she grabbed a hanging rope tied to one of the stronger branches above and swung down to the ground.

"Could of used the ground door," she heard Tiko say.

She spotted him at the water troth, cleaning his head of the milk she poured on him.

"And you could use a river bath instead of horse saliva-infested water," Melody teased.

"It's better than sticky, wet milk in my hair!" Tiko complained.

He leaned up and shook his head, getting Melody wet.

"AH!" Melody exclaimed. "Great going, Tiko!"

"I try," he said with a grin. "Now, come on! Let's go!"

There were two horses by the troth. One was a gray and white speckled stallion with a white mane and the other was a chestnut mare with a black mane, black tufts around the ankles, and a white five-pointed star in the middle of it's forehead. Melody stared into the mare's black eyes as she petted her neck.

"Hey, Starfire," she whispered to the horse.

Melody first met Starfire on Mr. Della's farm when she was a child. She fell in love with the mare at first sight. They had found some special connection between each other, girl and horse. She did everything she could to be with Starfire, no matter what it was. She did farm work for Mr. Della just so she could see Starfire. When she turned twelve, her father finally bought it for her as a gift. The two had been close together ever since.

"Are you going to talk to your horse all day or get on?" Tiko said, interrupting her thoughts.

_Oh, Tiko,_ she thought. _Always ruining the moment. _

She climbed on Starfire, getting adjusted to the bare back. She ran her fingers through the black mane until she had a good grip. She never liked riding by a saddle and bridle like Tiko did. She liked her horse to feel free and wild. She looked over at Tiko sitting on his speckled horse.

"Is Mr. Feathers ready to go?" she asked with a playful tone.

Tiko blushed.

"Feathersworth! Feathersworth! Why does everybody call him that?" Tiko groaned.

The horse didn't belong to him before. It was owned by another man who he was good friends with. When the man died, the horse was given to him. Tiko tried to give it another name, but the stubborn horse would only answer to Feathersworth or even Mr. Feathers.

Melody chuckled. "Okay, let's see who can get to town first."

"Okay! You're on!" he replied with a smirk. She knew he liked a good competition. "On the count of..."

"THREE!" Melody shouted as she galloped away.

"HEY! NO FAIR!" she heard him shout.

She looked back to find him following behind at a great speed.

"Can't catch me!" she shouted back.

"We'll see about that!"

The field was the perfect place to ride a horse. She loved every moment, speeding along like a bird soaring in the sky. The wind rushed through her long hair, causing a ripple effect behind her. She felt the heat of the sun beam down on her face and arms, keeping them warm from the cold breeze of the morning.

"Be prepared to eat my dust!" she heard Tiko shout with pride.

"Oh, no you don't!" she grinned. She leaned towards Starfire's ear. "Let's show him what we got, huh?" Starfire neighed and picked up speed. "WOHOO!"

The village was approaching before them. Meladon looked bigger and bigger as they got closer. The stone walls were about ten feet tall and the iron-barred gates were at least taller. They were built that way to keep moblins in the Dark Forest from trampling in, keeping the town protected from harm. Fortunately, the gates were opened wide enough for two people on horses to get through at the same time, though Melody didn't feel that she needed to worry about that. With every ounce of her last energy, Starfire made a leap and entered the gates to the city.

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><p>"Where did all that speed come from?" Tiko asked, out of breath. He had finally entered the gates as Melody was tying her horse to a rope attached to a rail next to the gate. "Starfire's not even breaking a sweat!"<p>

Melody just smiled. It was her little secret with her horse. A ton of practice and signals were the way to go for her success.

Tiko tied his horse to the rail as well and walked with Melody into Meladon. Already it was bustling with people and the two teens had to avoid running into carts and running children. For a town that was small, there were lots of people. They had friendly smiles and dazzling eyes. The sound of laughter from both child and adult was heard throughout the streets. Many of them greeted the two as they passed by. They made it to the town square. In the center was a huge fountain with a statue of a man holding books in one arm and a hammer in his other hand. It was Meladon himself, for he built the town based on the laws of the land and from history's past experiences. There was engraved writing at the bottom of it that said, "Matthius S. Meladon: a man of intelligence and peace".

The teens walked up to a door that said "City Hall" and walked through. At the counter was a woman with green hair and brown eyes. She was writing down something when Melody and Tiko reached the counter. She looked up at them and smiled.

"Hello, Melody," she said. "Mayor Tuffer is waiting for you in his office."

Melody looked at Tiko who grinned at her.

"I'll wait for you out here," he told her.

Melody walked left of the counter to a door that had Mayor Tuffer's name on it and walked right in. The office looked more like a study with tons of books on all the walls. It made her dizzy just looking at it. Towards her was a tall window where she saw, sitting at a dark wood desk, a man withered with age. His white hair was nothing but a thick mustache and a ring around his head. He had glasses that made his brown eyes appear larger then they should be. His wrinkles showed that he had a good life as he smiled. Melody smiled back.

"Well, hello, Melody!" he said in a raspy voice." Just the person I wanted to see. Please have a seat."

Melody walked over to one of the arm chairs in front of the desk and sat down. It was cushioned well and very soft.

"Now to business," the old man continued. "Melody, this is very important for the town's sake. As you know, winter will be approaching in a few months. I, being the mayor of this town, must go to Hyrule and see to it that the supplies are gotten and brought back here before winter hits the area. It's a three-week journey from here to Hyrule, but the problem is that the Dark Forest is full of monsters and I'm a very old man and can't defend myself. I've already arranged for someone to hold my position until I get back, but I need someone to go with me to get the supplies before the harsh weather sets in. Normally, I would ask your father, but it would be too much for him to bear."

Melody nodded in agreement. Last year, Garen went on his travel with Mayor Tuffer through the Dark Forest to get the necessary supplies from Hyrule: rice and wheat, sugar, cloths to make clothes for the winter, oil for lanterns, and medications. On rare occasions, they will bring back a fresh cart of Chateau Romani milk from Termina. When they returned with the cargo, Garen was badly wounded in his left leg. The Mayor told them the moblins of the forest ambushed them on his way back home. The doctors did everything they could to patch Garen's leg up with no guarantee that it will heal properly. It took him several weeks before he could move around, but he could only do it for so long before the pain reached to him again. Melody (and mostly Sonya) worried over him since then.

"I see, Mr. Tuffer," Melody stated. "Might I ask, then, the purpose of this meeting? Do you need me to find someone who can do the job?"

"No, no, no, no, dear girl," interrupted the mayor. "I want you to be the one to go with me."

Melody stood up quickly in shock. "M...m...me?"

"Yes, you!" the mayor confirmed. "You're the only other person who knows how to use a weapon that can protect themselves from the dangers of the outside world. Besides, your father suggested you for the job. He told me you were an excellent swordsman in combat."

"He did?" Melody asked in surprised.

She didn't expect her father to suggest her to the Mayor or even brag on her sword training. Her training was the only time he would be serious about anything. He didn't even say, "You did great, bud!" He usually said, "You need to keep your balance!" or "Faster! Always be on your feet!" To hear that her father was proud of her accomplishments was new to her. She finally had to come to terms that her father didn't want her to be cocky in her abilities.

_Me?_ She thought to herself. _Go on a journey to Hyrule?_

"I want the best to go," Tuffer continued. "The Dark Forest and the other places we would have to travel through will be too dangerous for anyone else to go. Especially with monsters roaming about."

He walked over and placed a hand on Melody's shoulder. "Melody, I know this is a big job for you, but you don't have to hold your breath for so long."

She let out a heavy sigh. "Sorry, sir, but...it's just...I'm truly honored by this."

"So will you do this for me...and your village?"

_A journey to Hyrule? Me?_ She felt that this was a privilege. She might not get a chance to do this again. _Besides, I could use a good adventure in my life. Who knows? I might just find my real family out there somewhere. This could be my opportunity._

"I accept!" she declared with excitement.

"Excellent!" stated the mayor, "We begin our journey in three days. You should have plenty of time to prepare."

Melody shook his hand. "Thank you, Mayor Tuffer. I won't let you down."

"I have no doubts, young one," he said, smiling.

Melody left the room and found Tiko sitting on a bench near the door.

"So?" he asked, getting up from his seat.

"I've been chosen to go with the mayor to get supplies from Hyrule."

Tiko smiled. "Glad to hear."

She knew the look Tiko gave her. "You knew, didn't you?"

"Mmmmm...I could say I didn't..." he said in a coyish voice.

Melody punched him in the arm.

"Ow!" he grimaced.

"Why didn't you tell me, nut head?" she said with a hint of a smile on her face.

"Well, I wanted to surprise you," he replied.

Melody gave him a suspicious look.

"Okay, okay," he admitted. "Mayor Tuffer told me not to tell you, but I would have wanted to surprise you."

Melody laughed. "Well, it was a nice surprise none the less, so...I'll give you some slack."

Tiko grinned. "I'm glad you're excited about the opportunity!"

Melody couldn't have agreed more. She was finally getting her chance to go see Hyrule with her own eyes! She couldn't wait until she told her parents when she would get home.

"Come on, Tiko!" she said. "I got some groceries to pick up. Then, how about another race to my place?"

"You're on!" he said competitively. "This time, I get a five minute head start."

"If you can catch me!" With that, Melody took off toward the door and Tiko followed right behind her, both of them laughing along the way.

* * *

><p>"Absolutely not!"<p>

"But, mother! It's only for six weeks..."

"Six weeks of my little girl going out on her own into the wild with monsters roaming the area? I don't think so!"

Melody had returned home with the groceries with Tiko's assistance. Tiko had already took off to his house as soon as he was finished helping her and Melody finally told her parents where she was going. So far, things weren't turning out so well. Her mother was being very reluctant to let her daughter get into any trouble.

"I wouldn't be going alone," Melody pressed on. "I would be going with the mayor."

"The mayor can't protect you from harm!" Sonya told the girl. "He's an old man now!"

"Mother, I'll be fine!" Melody tried to assure the worried woman. "I can defend myself. Remember those wolfos attacking the cows last summer? I stopped them and didn't even get hurt. I can do this!"

Her side job was cow herding for a neighbor on the south end of town. She was good at it, but it wasn't something she truly enjoyed.

"Those wolfos gave you a scar on you shoulder!" her mother reminded her.

"But that was when I was thirteen!" Melody clarified.

" Melody, I know you want to help the town, but this is too dangerous for you!" Sonya stated.

"Then I'll go!" stated Garen boldly.

He was sitting at the kitchen table, sharpening his cutting knife. He had stood up to make his statement.

"Garen!" Sonya said in surprise.

He took a few steps forward. "If anybody should go it should be me! I'm the one who had the responsibility last and I...AH!"

When he took another step, he gasped and fell on the floor in pain.

"Father!" Melody shouted as she and Sonya rushed over to his aid.

Lifting him off the floor, the two ladies placed him back in his seat.

"_You_ go!" Sonya said frustrated. "Just look at you! You can't even walk for an hour without you leg hurting."

"It was fine this morning when I carried in firewood," Garen groaned.

"You were lucky, Garen!" Sonya scolded. "You had at least rested for several hours before doing so."

Sonya looked at Melody. "Don't you see what I mean? If I let you go out there, you might end up like your father...or worse..." Tears came to her eyes. "I can't take that risk!" She quickly turned away from them.

"Mother," Melody calmly said, "I'm seventeen years old. I've never been in any serious danger in my life. I've always dreamed of a moment like this. A moment that I get to explore the world to see what it's like out there. What if this is the only chance I get? What if there is no other time I will ever do this again? What about my real family? What if they're still alive and waiting for me to find my way home? This is my chance! I promise that I'll come back here as soon as I can, but please let me do this!"

"She's right, Sonya." Garen spoke.

Both women turned toward the man. Melody had never seen Garen look so serious about a topic like this. She could sense that Sonya was puzzled by his saying. He stood up and limped towards Sonya.

"You know Melody is old enough to take care of herself," he told his wife. "She's a grown young lady. Besides, she has that adventurous spirit about her. We can't just hold her back like this. She'll blow up with sorrow and curiosity of what she could possibly find out there. Weren't we that adventurous once at her age?"

"But Garen," the woman protested, "that was then! We were younger and wild!"

Garen held up Sonya's head with his tender hand.

"And so is Melody," he mentioned to her. "She's a special kid, Sonya. We knew that one day she would leave us to find her real family. She doesn't want to live the rest of her life as a cow herder. Why should we hold her back from something she wants to do? Why should we make her stay? She needs this moment. I believe it's time for us to let her go, don't you think so?"

Sonya looked over at Melody and walked up to her. She kept gazing into the young girl's bright blue eyes and sighed. She had the look of a worried mother.

"Can...can you at least promise that you'll come back in one piece?" the mother requested.

Melody happily wrapped her arms around Sonya's neck, squeezing it with gentle love.

"Yes, I promise!" Melody told her. "I'll come back safe!"

They backed away to see each other and both smiled.

"Even if you are not mine by blood," Sonya spoke, "I always considered you my little girl."

"And I always will be," the red head grinned.

Garen staggered over to Melody.

"Well, kiddo, you've gone from a bud to a blossom," he told her. "A beautiful blossom, in fact. I'm so proud of you. Just remember that if you ever find your real family, you are still welcome here anytime. Oh! Wait! I forgot something! I wanted to give this to you as a surprise."

He grabbed one of the sticks nearby and walked over to a shelf. He pushed a book aside to reveal a small red box, which he pulled down from the shelf. He went back to the chair, sat down, and beckoned Melody to come to him. When Melody approached, he opened the red box and presented it to her. Inside was a small white potato-shaped flute. Melody gasped.

"But, father," Melody said nervously, "that's your ocarina."

"It sure was," he replied. "Now it's yours. I want you to have it as a father's gift to his special little girl."

Cautiously, Melody picked up the ocarina. It was light and made of a rare clay, sanded down, glossed, and cleaned to perfection. She felt tears come to her eyes. It was a beautiful gift. She gave her father a hug.

"Thank you!" she said gratefully. "It's lovely!"

Garen returned with a big, but gentle hug and said, "I love you little blossom."

"I love you, too, father," the girl replied.

* * *

><p>Three days passed and Melody was almost ready for the long journey ahead. The sun was barely rising as she loaded the last of her things on the wagon. In it she had a few big bags of rupees for buying the supplies, a lantern, blankets, a cloak for the cold weather, and a bottle of oil. Melody had some bags slung on the side of Starfire that had her own rupees, the ocarina her father gave her, food rations for herself and her horse, and a special green cloth with burn marks that she had since she was a baby. Her mother told her that she had that blanket wrapped around her when they found her at their doorstep and she became attached to it as she grew up. There was something about the blanket to Melody that made her feel like she was back in her real home...wherever it was.<p>

She was just about to hitch the wagon to Starfire when she heard a neigh in the distance. She looked up to find Tiko, riding on Feathersworth, heading towards her. Grinning, she set down the hitch and walked up to her mare as Tiko stopped his horse and got off.

"You're up early," she said.

"I wanted to catch you before the departure," he replied. "Where are your parents?"

"They went into the village to get a few things before I leave," Melody informed. "Father said that he had a sword custom made for me to take on my journey."

Tiko gave a curious look. "Then why did your mother go?"

"Well, my mother certainly couldn't let father go by himself with his leg injury," the red head giggled. "She had him hitch a wagon up to father's horse so she can ride with him to town."

Tiko chuckled. "That's Sonya for ya."

They stood there for a moment just looking at each other. Tiko glanced down for a moment then looked back up at Melody.

"Mel?" He finally said. "How do you feel right now? I mean, about leaving Meladon to get stuff...and maybe finding your real family?"

Melody looked over at Starfire and started to pet her neck. "A little nervous...maybe scared, but excited all the same."

She stopped and glanced over at Tiko. "It's a big moment for me. I have no idea what I'll find over there...or even what happens."

She looked into the boy's deep green eyes. They were sad looking.

"What's wrong Tiko?" the girl asked.

"It's just..." the boy started, but paused to looked down as if he was trying to collect his thoughts. Then, with his hands, he reached out to take hers and held them. He looked deep into her blue eyes.

"It's just..." he said trembling, "we've known each other for years and now...now you're leaving. I just want to let you know..." He took a deep breath of nervousness before he continued. "...You should know...that I...that we will miss you. It is after all a big journey...so you will be missed. Just...don't stay out too long. I...your parents will worry too much. Try to come home as quick as you can. Promise?"

Melody gave him a gentle smile. She knew that Tiko cared about her and wanted her safe. He was always there when she needed him no matter what the situation was. Through laughs and tears, through frustrations and fears, he was always there for her. Now, she won't see him for two solid months. She wished she could take him with her, but Mayor Tuffer said it was a two person job. She would miss being with him, teasing him, and riding horses with him and she knew that he would miss her, too.

She gently squeezed Tiko's hands.

"Tiko," Melody said to him softly. "That's a promise. I will come back as soon as I..."

BOOM!

"What was that?" asked a startled Melody.

"It sounded like it came from the village."

Melody rushed up the ladder to get a better view. She looked out and fear struck her heart.

Right through the trees, she saw black smoke and huge flames.

"TIKO! The village! It's on fire!"

"What?" He climbed up and looked at the horizon with shock in his eyes. "Oh no!"

Melody had a thought cross her mind. It wasn't a good thought at all.

"Tiko!" she exclaimed as her worried eyes darted to him. "My parents! My parents are in the village!"

* * *

><p>Izzy: Oh no! The village is on fire! What will Tiko and Melody do next?<p>

Roecliff: Tell us!

Izzy: Find out next chapter!

Roecliff: Grrr...(dejectedly) And don't forget to review her story. She really likes it when you do.

Izzy: :)


	3. From Bad to Worse

Izzy: Greetings again, people! We're at our first climax! WOOHOO! Load up the pick-up truck!

Roecliff: Get on with it!

Izzy: (T-T) Mr. Party Pooper! I shall sum up on what is happening in this chapter. A fire in the village! Oh, no! What will Tiko and Melody do? Find out here!

Roecliff: Isn't that exactly what you said in the last summary before?

Izzy: ON WITH STORY!

Disclaimer: Sadly, once again, I do not own anything Zelda whatsoever, but I do own the crazy warlock dude! YES!

* * *

><p>They had grabbed their horses and raced all the way to the village. As they approached, they saw how big the fire really was. It looked like a bonfire as the flames consumed the beautiful place to ruins. They left their horses outside the gates and ran in. They began to sweat from the intense heat.<p>

"MOTHER! FATHER!" Melody called out in a panic. "Where are you?"

Buildings came down in heaps. Melody and Tiko had to avoid the hot stones that fell from above. They finally made it to the town square where they saw the fountain in pieces. The statue of Meladon was broken in chunks and the head was the only thing intact, lying on the ground.

"What happened here?" questioned Tiko with a loud shout.

"I don't know," Melody replied. "It looks as if..."

It was then she had noticed two bodies near the fountain.

"Mother! Father!" the red head exclaimed.

She rushed over to find out if they were okay. When she looked down, her heart stopped.

Garen's head was covered in blood and Sonya's stomach and chest had stab wounds. Both of their eyes were empty and cold.

"No. No! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!" she exclaimed.

She collapsed on her hands and knees, weeping tears onto her burning cheeks.

"They can't be dead!" she said in disbelief. "They just can't be! The baby! They were going to have a child!"

Tiko hurried over to Melody. He looked at the couple, shocked.

"Oh, Din!" he swore.

"Why? WHY!" Melody shouted. "Why would anyone do this?"

Suddenly, they heard a wheezing sound. They looked around carefully and followed the noise. They noticed the sound coming from the other side of the fountain.

"Mayor Tuffer!" Tiko said with worry.

They both came to the old man's side and knelt down to him. He was bleeding at his side and on his forehead, the blood running down his face. His bottle-cap glasses laid beside him, broken into slivers. His breathing was very shallow and his hand was clutching his chest.

"Kids..." He said, wheezing and quiet.

"Mayor Tuffer! Are you okay?" Tiko asked.

"Could be better," he replied, followed by a harsh cough. Tiko raised his head so he could breathe easier.

"Mayor, what happened here?" asked Melody.

"We were...attacked...by this man," the old mayor informed the teens. "He is...very powerful. You two...must leave...before he...finds you..."

"No, mayor," said Tiko. "We're going to help you."

"No! No time," the man refused. "I will...only...slow you down. You...must flee...from here. Leave..."

His breath went out hard and became limp in Tiko's arms.

"Mayor? MAYOR! No..." the boy said.

More tears streamed from their eyes as Tiko placed Tuffer's head back on the ground.

"Who..." he fumed. "Who would do this? Who would want to kill innocent people? And for what?"

Melody said nothing. She couldn't believe they were all dead. Dead! Gone forever! All she could do at that moment was feel the wrath inside of her reach its peak.

_Who did this? _she thought angrily._ What did they do to deserve this? _

Tears poured from her eyes even more that it started to burn her cheeks from the extreme heat and giving her a headache. She felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Tiko, red in the face from sorrow, burns and anger.

"Come on," he said, quietly. "Let's do what the mayor asked and get out of here."

"And where would you go, little boy?" said a voice behind them.

The voice startled them. It was slick, calm, and very dark. They turned to find where it was coming from.

Standing among the flames and rubble was a man in a black tunic with a gold cape around his neck, flowing behind him. He was tall and well built for his size. His arms were crossed and his feet planted to the ground in a cocky pose. He had solid black eyes and a black strip of a beard in the middle of his chin, which happened to be the only place that had hair. His smile was crooked from the scar at the left corner of his mouth.

"It's not like there's any other place you can get to within a mile from here," the man spoke. "The next village is a few days from here. So, I ask, where would you go?"

"Who are you?" Tiko demanded.

The man took a few steps forward. He spread his arms out as if to present himself.

"I am called Ashasti," he replied with dignity, "the most terrifying warlock known to man, servant to the great King of the World."

"What? There's no 'King of the World'," stated Melody. "We are but a humble village under the protection of the King of Hyrule."

"What protection?" Ashasti asked with a sinister chuckle. "Just look around you. Would you say you were 'protected' from this damage? Certainly not! Not even your king could stop this, could he? No, I'm sorry to say that he has more things to occupy his time with than to take care of a wimpy village."

"It wasn't so until YOU showed up!" shouted Tiko. "You must of been the cause of all this. Why?"

"Why should it matter to you, kid?" the man replied. "It's not like it's the end of the world." Then he raised his hand up to his crooked lips. "Oh, wait! It is! Hahahahaha!"

Melody growled. "This isn't a joking matter!"

The man discontinued his laughing. "Of course, not to you, I'm afraid, but perhaps I can humor you with my explanation. You see, I'm looking for someone of great importance and if I don't find this person, then it would be the death of me. Perhaps, considering that you are from this village, you could tell me where I could find this person."

The man gave a glare and a nasty grin crossed his face. "Have you ever heard of a young lady named Melody?"

The teens looked at each other in shock. Melody felt her heart skip. He destroyed the village, the people, to find her! Her parents were killed because of her!

_What great importance am I to this guy that he is willing to destroy everything in his path to find me__?_ she wondered._ I don't understand!_

"No, we haven't heard of anyone with that name before," Tiko replied, boldly.

Melody, however, could sense the tension in his voice. They were standing in a dangerous spot.

The man cried in anger and shoved his finger out towards them.

"LIES! Lies, lies lies!" he shouted madly. "For seventeen years I have searched for this brat and all I hear in this village is nothing but lies! You're hiding her from me, I know it! Why do you think there are dead people on the ground? They were doing the same thing: lying! It's either you tell me or die!"

_This dude is crazy!_ Melody thought.

Suddenly, she saw Tiko stand in front of her in a defensive pose.

"I'd rather take death!" he told the warlock. "If you want her so badly, then you have to get through us!"

"Tiko!" exclaimed Melody.

Tiko turned his head slightly towards her.

"Mel," he whispered, "I'm giving you a chance to get out of here. Go to Hyrule and get help!"

"No, I'm not leaving you here!" Melody protested.

"Don't argue with me!"Tiko snapped. "This is what your parents would want! Now, get out of here! Go!"

Reluctantly, she began to run out of the village. She heard the man shouting something, but the sound of falling, burning wood drowned out the noise. She made it out of the gates to find only Starfire standing by. She was about to leap on when she heard a sudden scream of terror and pain.

_Tiko! No__!_ She looked down, stifling a cry. _You idiot! Why would you stay behind? How could you let me leave without you? _

She then leaped onto the mare.

"Let's go, girl!" she said harshly. "To Hyrule! Quick!"

The horse neighed and took off like lightening. From that point on, nothing mattered anymore. The village was long behind her. Her primary focus was to get to Hyrule and fast.

"STOP! THAT'S AN ORDER!" shouted voices.

She looked back to see five skeletons, dressed in armor, chasing after her.

_What in Hyrule... What are those things?_

She didn't want to find out. She noticed that they started catching up to her, so she commanded Starfire to pick up speed with a kick.

She was halfway across the field and the soldiers kept pursuit. She knew that once in the woods, she would be safe. She kept glancing back, seeing the skeletons right on top of her.

_We have to go faster! Oh, Farore! Help us!_

It felt like an eternity before she managed to hit the edge of the forest. Inside, she knew of a maze of trees that she could enter through and lose them, but she also knew it was risky taking Starfire through that narrow maze. She looked back to find them still on her trail. She decided last minute to take her chance. She steered her horse toward the weave of trees. She had to duck a few times from low branches above her. The forest began to grow dark as she went deeper into the woods.

Finally, she found her secret web of giant bushes. She knew they would be hot on her trail if she didn't hide in time. She jumped off and hid her and Starfire among them. She watched as the skeletons continued their track. With a heavy breath, she then looked at Starfire.

"Thank the wind!" she said in a hushed, breathy voice.

She got off her knees and sat on a nearby log. She breathed hard and long to catch her breath.

_What is going on?_ she thought. _Why is this happening? What would an evil warlock like...like him want me for? I'm no one important. I'm not important enough that he would...that he would..._

She broke in tears and buried her head in her hands. Sorrow and fear took over. Tears poured out as she sobbed the woes of her heart out.

_They're gone! They're all really gone! My parents! My people! Even my best friend! He's killed them all! The village is destroyed and it's all because of me! There's nothing left for me! I have never felt so alone in my life! Oh Nayru! What is to become of me?_

She then felt a nudge. She looked up at Starfire, who rubbed against her back as if to say 'I'm here.' Melody wrapped her arms around the mare's neck.

"Oh, Starfire," she said to the horse with a small sob.

Her tears spilled on the chestnut hair and turned it to a dark red. She gave a sniff and wiped her wet, blue eyes.

"It won't do us any good to stay here," she told her horse. "We need to get moving. Hopefully, those creatures are far away by now."

She stood up to observe her horse. "No serious injuries. That's good, but I think I'll walk you for now." She grabbed Starfire's black mane and the two began heading north to Hyrule.

The skies were unusually dark for a morning. It seemed like there was nothing but dark, black clouds. Melody had trouble seeing the back of her hand on Starfire's neck. She stumbled over invisible rocks and wood and nearly knocked herself into a tree. She started to get frustrated.

_It shouldn't be this difficult! _I_ can't go on like this!_ _I can't walk without falling on my face. I wish I had my lantern._

"Whoa, girl," she said to Starfire.

The tired horse stopped and Melody searched the ground so she could sit down. She tried to look around for any sign of light, but nothing could be seen in pitch black darkness.

"Oh, Starfire! What are we going to do? Without my lantern, we can't see a single thing! We could be lost or turned around. What if we never get to Hyrule?"

She started to cry again. Stress, fears and sorrows weighed her down too much. She was scared, alone, and helpless in her predicament. In her mind she saw her parents, the village, Tiko...

Suddenly Melody saw a small light, but bright enough to see a brook up ahead as Melody looked up to see where it was coming from. She squinted to see what was making the light. She stood up and, using the light to guide her, carefully walked over to it.

She looked down to see a face...no, a mask.

A mask that looked like a face with pointed ears. A face that was pale and painted with blue and red colors over and under the empty eye holes. The hair was an off white and the mouth was drawn out in an expressionless position.

_What is it? Where did it come from?_

She picked it up and examined it. The whole mask itself was a solid wood, but it felt like glass. Melody looked around.

_Maybe someone dropped it by accident. Hmmmm..._

She turned to Starfire and walked toward her. The horse, suddenly reared and jumped back, neighing in fear.

"Oh, come on, Starfire," Melody said, frustrated. "It's only a mask. Look at it. It won't hurt you."

But the horse wasn't convinced. She kept stepping back.

"Really?" Melody shouted. "Are you really that stupid?" She approached the horse and shoved the front of the mask into its face. "It's just a STUPID mask, you STUPID horse!"

The horse continued to step back. In the back of her mind, Melody noticed how cruel she was acting towards the poor mare, but her anger and frustration over what happened to the village still flooded her being. It was just a stupid wooden mask. Why would the horse be scared of something so ordinary?

"Okay, fine," Melody snapped. "If you don't believe me, I'll prove it!"

She held up the mask to her face and put it on. It felt cold, but the mask fit her face perfectly.

"See? It's just..."

Suddenly, the mask felt weird. It turned to liquid and started to mold to her face. She tried to scream, but the mask muffled it. She grabbed the sides of her face to try and pull it off, but the sides of the mask were gone. Her vision began to blur and she started to feel weak against its power. She felt her lips separate and she let out a huge scream.

Then she felt light-headed and collapsed on the ground, unconscious.

* * *

><p>Roecliff: Oh, Din! This isn't good, people!<p>

Izzy: Watch your language!

Roecliff: What?

Izzy: This is a big problem. First, this crazy Ashasti destroys the village just to find Melody! How horrid is that? On top of that, she was attacked by this mysterious mask. So now the question is, Why is Ashasti looking for Melody and why did a mask just mold to her face? Find out in Chapter Three!

Roecliff: That's unless she isn't distracted with other things.

Izzy: *sniff sniff* Oh, Din! My awesome dark chocolate chip cookies! AUGH! *runs away to the kitchen*

Roecliff: *sigh* Please make sure to review as well.


	4. Darkness and Light

Izzy: Here's Chapter Three!

Roecliff: Wow! It seemed like only yesterday since you posted a story.

Izzy: I know, right? I was just thinking the same thing!

Roecliff: Okay, okay! Can we get into the story now?

Izzy: Ah, yes! *ahem* Where we left off was during a time when the village of Meladon had been attacked by a crazy warlock who is searching for Melody. Also, we left her off being taken over by a strange mask. I'm sure that some of you who have played Majora's Mask would get this.

Roecliff: And just so you know, what she states in this chapter is based on theories and research, so it doesn't necessarily mean that it's true.

Izzy: Though it could be true.

Roecliff: Can we get to the story now?

Izzy: Yes, we can. Have fun!

Disclaimer: I really, really, really, really, really wished that I owned Zelda; however, I do not. *sniffle*

* * *

><p>The first thing she remembered was hearing a laugh. A laugh of strange happiness.<p>

She slowly opened her eyes. She felt so strange. There was a glowing white light surrounding her and standing over her was a man. He had red hair that was cut short, wore purple clothes, had a giant pack with masks on it on his back, and the biggest smile she had ever seen.

"Oh, good," he said with a hint of relief. "I was beginning to wonder if you would ever wake up."

She sat up slowly and felt her forehead. "Ow..."

"You took a good fall there, my friend. You should be more careful next time."

"Oh, what happened?"she groaned.

She started trying to remember. She was being chased by skeletons, managed to escape, got lost in the dark woods, found a mask...The mask! She remembered the mask molding to her face. She felt her face to be sure it was her own.

It felt normal.

"Ah! Maybe it was all a dream..." She started to say, but covered her mouth with her hands when a small echo broke as she spoke. "Wh...what's going on?"

"Nothing to fear, young one," said the smiling man. "You just had a slight...alteration in appearance."

"What?" Melody yelled. "What are you talking about?"

"That mask you put on," the man informed her, "...it transformed you into a version of Oni."

"Of what?!" she exclaimed.

She looked over next to her to see the same brook where she found the mask. She crawled over with the glow still following her then stood and looked into the water to spot her reflection.

She gasped in shock. The person staring back at her was not her.

She saw a pale-faced girl with long, platinum white hair with the same style as hers and white eyes with no pupils. She had a huge, blue, jagged v-shape on her forehead, had a thick red line where her eyebrows would have been, and three small lines underneath the pupil-less eyes. She wore a white cap was on her head, a white tunic, silver gauntlets, and a black turtleneck and tights. Her boots were brown and the armor she wore protected her chest and back. It had a gold crescent moon on the right side of the chest plate and a small, gold triangle on the left side. On her back she spotted a huge hilt and saw that she was the one causing the glow.

She looked like a warrior.

_That can't be me!_ she said unbelieving. She felt her face again for the mask, but all she felt was skin.

"Wha...wha...what happened to me?" she exclaimed, her voice echoing her fear and shock.

She looked over at the man and realized that he was shorter than her. Much shorter! His head didn't even reach her shoulders and he looked like the average height of a normal Hylian.

"Why am I so tall?" she exclaimed in shock. "What happened to my clothes? My hair? My eyes! What happened to me?"

"Like I said," the man spoke, "you have been turned into a version of Oni.."

"Oni? You mean the term 'demon'?" she asked in fear. The first thing she thought of was being possessed by something demonic and that didn't sit well with her.

"Many people get that confused," the man spoke as he still smiled. "Not oni as in demon: Oni as in the person. He was a normal person just like you; only he was granted the Fierce Deity mask as a gift from the gods for his honor."

Melody cocked an eyebrow in disapproval. "What's a Fierce Deity?"

"I shall tell you the story of it. Many years ago there was a young boy named Oni, who had a younger brother named Majora. Both brothers had always honored the gods of old, so one god blessed them with two masks. Oni was given the Fierce Deity mask and Majora was given a mask that he named after himself. The masks made them become deities with special powers. Unfortunately, Majora became obsessed with its power and soon was corrupted by it. He began to bring chaos to the land and caused destruction. Oni, who knew right from wrong, declared war on Majora. After many years of battle, Oni, with the magic of his Double Helix Sword, sealed Majora within his own mask. The people buried the mask so that Majora would no more bring chaos. Oni became a hero that day. He was then given the title 'The Warrior God' because he was a deity that won the battle of order."

"One day," the man went on, "Majora returned and nearly destroyed a small town using a small imp. Majora then found Oni and placed him under the same curse that he placed on Majora those many years ago. He kept the mask for himself until a small boy came along and used the mask to destroy Majora once again. Then both deity masks were placed in my care; however I had lost the Fierce Deity mask on my way back to Hyrule. Now, you are wearing it."

"But...but what if I don't want to wear it?" Melody asked. "What if I want it off?"

"If you don't want to wear it, then take it off," the man told her bluntly.

"But I tried that!" the girl informed him. "I can't find the edge of the mask! It's not there!"

"Is that so?" he asked. "Let me take a look."

The man glanced at both sides of her face, then frowned. "Oh, dear. This is not good."

Melody widened her white eyes in fear. "What? What's wrong?"

The man looked back to her and shook his head. "My dear, if I am correct...which I usually am...unfortunately in this case...I believe you have been cursed by the Deity himself."

"Cursed?" the girl said as her eyes widened bigger. "What do you mean by cursed?"

"I mean that you are trapped in that mask by Oni," the man told her.

"Trapped!"She exlaimed. She did not like this idea. The thought of being trapped by a possible demon-possessed mask wouldn't be her first choice to make. She already lost her home, her family, and her friends and now she finds out that she had lost her identity. She couldn't accept this.

"No! I don't believe it!" she denied. "There has to be a way to take this mask off. There HAS to be!"

"I don't know of any ways that could help your current condition," the man said, "but have faith. You will find a way. Perhaps if you continue on your journey to Hyrule, then you will find your answer."

"Go to Hyrule like this?" Melody said as she showed her new appearance. "What would..."

She stopped when she realized what the man said.

_How did he know that I was going to Hyrule?_

"How..." she started.

"How did I know, you ask?" he finished with a big, silly grin. "Let's just say that I've been following you."

_Great! A creeper and a stalker!_ she thought in annoyance.

"You see, I am a Happy Mask Salesman," the man told her, "and I've been traveling all over the world searching, selling, and buying masks. I try to bring happiness with masks. I was just arriving to Meladon Field when I saw the village in smoke. Then I spotted you on your horse, riding away from those soldiers. So, I followed you."

"I couldn't even see a tree right in front of me," Melody pointed out. "How could you have followed me in this pitch, black forest?"

"Lanterns are quite useful, aren't they?" The man said.

She then noticed a lantern, still lit, hanging from the side of his clothes. She felt her cheeks burn from embarrassment.

"Well...just look at me!" she said, trying to hide the embarrassment. "I'm a giant! How in the world am I going to travel to Hyrule looking like this? People will think I'm the enemy! I can't go like this!"

"You have no other choice, dear child, but to go as you are," the Happy Mask Salesman replied. "Consider this, though. Think of this as more of a blessing than a curse. At least no one can recognize you. You have a disguise that no one can penetrate. And who knows: you might discover some unique abilities that could aid you on your quest."

She looked down in thought. He was right. Even the bone-headed soldiers wouldn't know scarlet red hair from platinum white.

_But how can this be a blessing?_ she asked herself in frustration.

"But you might want to change you name," she heard the man say.

She looked up, but the man was gone. She searched all around her, but he was nowhere in sight. She only heard his voice:

"It will help with your disguise further if you do so. Have faith, child." Then there was silence.

_A name? What would I call myself?_ She looked back down. The female warrior still stood where _her_ reflection should be.

_Should I use the same name as the__ original owner of the mask? Oni?_

_Who called me? _said an unknown voice_. _

She gasped. It sounded like it came from her mind.

_Yes, you!_ it said again._ Who are you?_

"I'm...uh...I'm..." Melody stammered.

_Melody? _the voice replied._ I see. I am Oni, the Warrior God, owner of the Fierce Deity._

"Uh...nice to meet you?" she cringed.

_What do you mean by 'nice to meet you'?_ the voice snapped._ This is an improper greeting! I should be in my own physical form and presenting myself in person instead of being trapped within my own mask. How infuriating!_

"Well, sorry to burst your bubble!" Melody grumbled.

_Forgive me of my rudeness,_ the self-proclaimed Oni apologized with a sigh_. It's been a very long time since I had someone to communicate with. It's a hard-knock life being stuck in this mask!_

_You're telling me,_ she thought.

_See? You understand me! _He said._  
><em>

_"_What? You heard that?" Melody exclaimed.

_Of course, I did!_ Oni replied._ I am within your mind, which means I can read every thought that comes to your little head._

"HEY!" she shouted.

_I'm just saying! _Oni stated._  
><em>

"Well, if you don't mind, I'm trying to..." Melody started.

_Figure out a new name for yourself?_ Oni finished_. And you wanted to use my name? _The voice huffed. _How wonderful._

"Wow! You have no sense of privacy!" Melody said in annoyance.

_I only want to learn about the person that put my mask on, _Oni mentioned to her.

"Well, excuse me," she spoke rudely, "but I would prefer peace and quiet. Most importantly, I would really like it if I could take this mask off, yet you won't let me!"

_It's not my fault that curiosity got the best of you, _Oni reminded._  
><em>

"That's not true!" the female protested. "I was..." But what could she say to that? That she was just trying to prove to her horse that the mask was safe?

_It's very sad that you had to prove to your horse that the mask was safe, _Oni said._ It does sound quite idiotic. You __wouldn't be in your predicament if it wasn't for that._

"Really?" she said, sarcastically. "Do you have to read my mind all the time?"

_I can only read the thoughts you allow me to read, _the voice told her._  
><em>

"_Only_ what I allow you?" Melody said incredulously.

_Something within you is preventing me from gaining full control of your being,_ Oni informed the girl. _I had that very same thing happen with another being, a young child, when I possessed his body._

"Wait!" Melody said with a hint of a tease. "A kid? You couldn't possess a kid?"

_It's not my fault that child was stronger than I was!_ Oni objected_. He was unusually strong! He told me once that he was the Hero of Time, so he could have been serving the goddess of time._

"The Hero of Time?" Melody inquired. "I thought he was..."

_An adult? _Oni finished_.  
><em>

"Will you quit doing that?" the girl growled.

_My goodness!_ Oni said in surprise._ I didn't know I could make you so __angry, __he said with a chuckle._

"That's because you're driving me crazy!" Melody told him off.

_Someone's been having a rough day, _Oni stated._  
><em>

"You wouldn't understand," she sighed.

_Your home destroyed along with your loved ones,_ Oni said._ Being chased off by some horrid creatures. Being alone...scared._

"Shut up!" Melody shouted.

_In denial, huh?_ Oni said._ Don't worry. I can help you. I'll keep you company._

"Company? More like intrusion!" Melody corrected.

_You will need my help,_ Oni pointed out._ I know much more than you think. I can, in a way, be your guide. Whatever you need to know, you just let me know._

"Fine," she said with a scowl, "but on one condition. Don't read everything in my head and no talking unless it has to do with information about the quest. Is that clear?"

_Very well, _he said in a huff,_ but I won't like it._

"Thank you!" She breathed in to try and calm herself down. "Now to come up with a name."

She began to think and look again into her reflection. She saw the warrior again and the glow that surrounded her. It shrouded her like a mist in an early morning.

_A mist. Let's see. Mist. Misty. Mystery. Mystia. Mystia! That's my new name! Oni Mystia!_

_Really? Did you have to use my name as a part of yours? _Oni groaned in annoyance._  
><em>

"Yes, I did!" Melody stated with an attitude. "Now what did I say about talking to me in general?"

_I do have something that may help you, _Oni said_.  
><em>

"It better be good," she growled.

_The glow surrounding you can be adjusted in brightness so you can see better in dark places, _he informed._ Just picture yourself glowing brighter or dimmer._

She gave it a shot. After all, she was in a dark forest and she needed to see in order to get through it. She kept her eyes open and thought about bright and dim. Suddenly, the light altered to a different level of brightness. She made it go full force so she could see all around her.

Nearby, she heard a huge neigh. She turned to see Starfire nearby. Mystia remembered the horse being spooked by the mask before. What would happen if she got close to it? She approached it.

Starfire reared herself and neighed even louder.

"Easy, girl!" Mystia tried to tell the frightened mare. "It's just me. Melody. It's okay..."

But the horse kept going. She kept rearing and jumping back away from Mystia. She knew that she had to calm the horse down somehow. She then saw something red fly off the horse's pouch and land on the ground next to her. She picked it up and realized that it was the red box her father gave her.

She opened it to find the white ocarina, still intact.

_That's it! The song will calm her down! It always does._

She pulled it out and started playing the song she remembered so well. She called it Starfire's Song. As she played, the ocarina gave out a clean, clear sound that echoed throughout the forest. She saw the horse stop, its ears twitching to the music. It approached her calmly. Mystia stopped playing and reached out her hand to pet Starfire. It nudged her gently, letting her know that she considered Mystia safe.

"That's my girl!" Mystia told her horse.

She never understood why that song calmed Starfire down. In a way, it even calmed herself down. She remembered someone humming that song. Someone... special to her. Someone that loved her and cared for her, but she couldn't place a name on...was it her or him? She shook the memory out of her mind and mounted on Starfire. She did it in such a swift motion and faster than she had ever gotten on her horse. She leaned into Starfire's ear.

"Well, let's go to Hyrule, girl. Hyah!"

* * *

><p>Izzy: YIKES! HMS strikes again!<p>

Roecliff: Why did you have him in this story?

Izzy: For dramatic effect.

Roecliff: ...I don't see the dramatic effect here...

Izzy: So now, Melody (or for now Mystia) has discovered that she is cursed by the Fierce Deity. Why won't Oni let her go? Will she be able to break the curse upon her? Will she find her answer in Hyrule like the HMS said? What will she find next?

Roecliff: That's what I want to know!

Izzy: Well, I guess you'll have to wait until next chapter.

Roecliff: Grrr...

Izzy: Please review! *^-^


	5. When Warrior Meets Shrubery

Izzy: Chapter 4 has arrived! Wow, it's happening so quick. Of course, I've been working on the handwriting portion in the spare time I had, so it helped with the typing portion of my writing.

Roecliff: Tell me about it. Let's get start...

*Oni walks in*

Oni: Excuse me, but what's taking you so long? It's been hours since the last story! I'm bored out of my wits!

Roecliff: Who invited you?

Oni: I invited myself!

Izzy: If you two would let me begin, then we can start the story! So now we have Melody (whom I will now call Mystia throughout the next several chapters) who had been cursed by the Fierce Deity and now has no choice but to travel to Hyrule as is. What will happen next? You're about to find out.

Oni: It's about time! I'm anxious!

Roecliff: Don't you need to be in the story right now?

Oni: I'm a deity! I can do whatever I want!

Izzy: *sigh* Enjoy the story, fans. Oi!

Disclaimer: I want to steal the rights to owning all that is Zelda, but it's illegal to do so, so I won't.

* * *

><p>The Dark Forest was darker than she remembered, but the light surrounding her enabled her to see clearly, thanks to Oni's insight. The glow could shine three feet beyond Starfire's nose. They ventured through the forest with ease. The only problem was that she didn't know how long it's been or what hour of the day it was. It seemed like the dark clouds had a mind of their own and didn't remove themselves to show the sky.<p>

_Man, _she thought to herself. _I wish I knew how long it's been since I left the village._

_If it helps any,_ replied Oni, _it's only been twenty-two hours since you put my mask on._

"Did I ask for your...hold it! Twenty-two hours?"

_Indeed! You've been out for quite sometime. Right now it is early morning. It was mid morning when you put my mask on, so you have considerately slept for twenty-two hours._

"That's not even possible! I couldn't have been out that long!"

_Believe what you must, but I only state the facts._

She looked up to the sky again. So many hours she had lost because of a stupid mask. Those could have been hours that she would have traveled to Hyrule. She would already have made it halfway through the Dark again, she didn't have the advantage that she had now. The clouds looked so dark to her, almost an impossible color black._ Maybe this is the work of that Ashasti person._

_Who's Ashasti?_ Oni asked.

"Did I talk to you?" Mystia asked sarcastically.

_No, but I heard your thoughts._

_Ugh!_ "Ashasti was this person that I ran into in my village. He claims..."

_To be the most terrifying warlock in the world and servant of the King of the World._

"OKAY! New rule: don't finish my sentences!"

_My apologies, _Oni replied with a snark.

"Anyway," the deity girl continued, "yes, he claims to be some scary magic person who serves a ruler of the world; however, I've never really seen him use his powers. For all I know, he could just be a lunatic."

_Or a pyromaniac that burns down villages,_ Oni remarked.

"Pyromaniac?" Mystia stated allowed. "I didn't say anything about him setting the village on fire."

_It came up in your thoughts, _Oni informed.

"What did I tell you about reading my thoughts?" Mystia exclaimed in frustration.

_I can't help it. They're too easy to read._

"Well, quit! I don't like it when you invade my privacy."

_Your thoughts speak louder than your words._

"They do not! That doesn't even make any sense!"

_It does for me._

"Do I have to tell you again to stop? ..."

But before she could finish, a scream was heard in the woods. A weird scream, more like a squeaky shrill.

"What...was that?" she asked.

_Don't ask me. I can't tell what it is either, _Oni replied._  
><em>

She then heard the bushes ruffling and the sound of buzzing getting closer and closer. Suddenly a little shrub hopped out of one of the bushes.

No, a scrub. A little Deku Scrub.

Its hair...or leaves...were long, layered, and brownish gold. The head was huge compared to its tiny body, which was covered up by a leaf-stitched sash and pants. The snout was extended from its wooden face in a cylinder shape with a hole in the middle. Its yellow eyes looked wild with fear and its tiny, stubby arms and moss covered feet were flying everywhere to get away from...

"Deku Hornets!" it squealed. "Go away! I'm not a nesting place!"

Right behind the Deku Scrub came the whole swarm of Deku Hornets. They chased down the poor creature with their stingers hanging out towards it.

_Maybe we should...,_ started Oni.

"You mean _I_ should," Mystia quickly responded. "And yes, I should go help the little guy."

She jumped off Starfire and, without thinking, grabbed the hilt on her back. When she brought it in front of her, she nearly dropped it in surprise. The sword was gigantic! There were two blades, one white and one a light blue, crisscrossing each other, bending at the top with the points touching each other. It made a big, long loop at the top of the blade and it gave a slight glow. It appeared to be her giant height if it was standing on end.

_This must be the Double Helix Sword_, she thought.

_If you really want to help that Deku Scrub, then I suggest not gawking at the sword and get moving,_ Oni pointed out._  
><em>

She turned her eyes toward the Scrub, still flailing his arms to shoo the hornets away. She charged and swung the sword at them. When she did, she felt her energy diminish as a source of white energy shot out of the blade, hitting the hornets that had escaped. She was dumbfounded. How did she do that? Magic just doesn't spew out of a blade. She was trying to figure out what caused the white energy to eject from her sword, making her unaware that the hornets were charging at her.

_Anytime now! _Oni shouted.

Mystia snapped from her confusion and aimed her focus on the hornets. She swung her sword again, causing more white energy to fly out and hit the flying pests. After a few minutes, she finally got rid of every single Deku Hornet, but she felt dizzy and exhausted.

_Maybe I should of warned you that using your blade that much can cause nausea, _Oni stated. _Then again, you wouldn't have listened to me._

Mystia grumbled at Oni's comment with how rude and horrid he was as she placed the sword on her back. She decided to look for the Deku to make sure it was alright. After searching wearily, she found the Deku Scrub hiding behind a tree.

"WHA!" it cried. "A giant! Get away or I'll show you what I'm made of!"

_So much for first impressions, huh?_ Oni said.

Mystia looked at the Deku closely. Somehow, he seemed familiar. She wasn't certain of what it was, but she felt like she knew this Deku.

"What are you talking about?" Mystia asked the Deku. "I'm not here to hurt you."

The Deku stopped and glanced at her. "Wait...weren't you the one who killed all those hornets?"

"Yes, I was," Mystia confirmed. "Are you okay?"

"I'm alright," the Deku replied, "but if you hadn't shown up, I would of shown them what for! Just watch this move!"

The Deku did a high kick with its stubby leg, but lost its balance and fell on the ground. "Hehe...I'm still working on it, but just you wait! I'll improve!"

_So says the Deku Scrub running like a duck from those hornets, _Oni commented._  
><em>

Mystia rolled her pupil-less eyes then continued to look at the Deku.

"I see," she said to the Deku. "So, why were the hornets attacking you?"

It stood back up on its feet. "I got hungry and I saw this delicious-looking nut high in a tree. I rolled into the tree to get it. But when it fell..." He looked down sheepishly. "...I realized it was a hornet's nest."

"Ah, so the hornets attacked you because you looked like a nest," Mystia guessed.

"Something to that effect," it replied. "But pardon me, I didn't even introduce myself. The name is Scrubs. What's yours?"

"Oni Mystia," the girl replied, "but you can just call me Mystia."

"Pleasure to meet ya!" Scrubs gave a bow. "So, why are you in this dark forest by yourself?"

"I should be asking the same for you," Mystia replied. "These woods are dangerous for a scrub like you out here."

"Dangerous? For me?" the Deku said as if offended by her comment. "Of course not! I am the bravest Deku in all the wood. I'm going on an adventure!"

"Where are you heading?" Mystia asked in curiosity.

"I'm going to Hyrule to speak with the princess," the Deku told her.

"Really?" Mystia exclaimed with surprise. "Me too! For the same reason!"

"You too?" Scrubs exclaimed as well. "What a coincidence! Then how about we go together as a team?"

_Oh, no!_ Said Oni. _We don't need him around! He'll only slow us down._

Mystia smirked at Oni's comment and looked down at the Deku. "Sure, I could use some company."

_You have got to be kidding me! _The deity boy growled._  
><em>

"Great!" Scrubs declared. "If you ever need my help, then just let me know. I can do lots of stuff. I can shoot nuts, blow bubbles, do high kicks and...Oh! Is that a horse?"

It waddled over to Starfire and looked up at it, then to Mystia.

"Cool horse!" the Deku said. "I've never been on a horse before. Can I ride it, please? Oh, please? Oh, please? Can I?"

_Slow us down, huh?_ Mystia mocked to Oni.

"Sure, you can ride it," she said.

_Just great!_ Oni sarcastically commented.

"YAY!" Scrubs cheered.

Mystia picked up Scrubs and placed him on Starfire's back. His stubby legs couldn't fit around Starfire's back, but he didn't seem to notice.

_I'm telling you, this is not a good idea! _Oni told Mystia._  
><em>

"Shut up." Mystia said aloud.

"What? I didn't say anything," Scrubs said in confusion.

"Oh, no, not you," Mystia clarified to the Deku. "I was talking to..."

_Can you explain yourself out of this?_ Oni said with a hint of amusement.

"I was...talking to a demon..." Mystia finally said.

The Deku shivered slightly. "A...a...demon?"

_A demon? _Oni exclaimed. _I'm not a demon!_

"Yes." Mystia said with a nod. "He calls himself Oni. He's the one who made me look like this."

"You mean you've been cursed?" Scrubs guessed.

"Yes, I was cursed to be possessed by this demon, but I can still control him." Mystia informed the Deku.

"How did you end up like that?" Scrubs asked.

"I found this mask and put it on and...well, you can see the results," Mystia said. "On top of that, I can't even take it off. There's no edge on it for me to remove it."

"That's awful!" Scrubs said in pity. "Is there another way for the curse to be broken?"

"That's one of the reasons why I'm going to Hyrule," the deity girl told Scrubs. "A strange man with a freaky smile told me that I might find the answer there."

"One of the reasons?" Scrubs repeated. "What's the other reason?"

Mystia mounted on her horse and made it trot.

"There was this man," Mystia began, "...he destroyed my village along with its people. Even my family. I need to speak with the princess and find out what's going on."

"That happened to me as well!" Scrubs jumped. "A man came to my village and destroyed everything in it."

"What? Did he say who he was?" Mystia asked curiously.

"He called himself Ashasti," Scrubs replied.

_Ashasti attacked another village?_ Mystia thought in shock. _That doesn't make sense. If he was looking for me, then why would he attack other villages?_

_Maybe for the fun of i__t_, stated Oni. _He is mad after all._

_Mad as in angry or crazy?_ Mystia corrected.

"Hello?" she heard Scrubs say to her.

Mystia snapped away from Oni and looked down at Scrubs, who had its head cocked to one side. "Huh? What?"

"What were you doing?" the little shrub asked.

"Sorry, talking to the demon," Mystia apologized.

_I'm not a demon!_ Oni muttered.

"You talk to your demon?" Scrubs asked in worry.

"Rarely," she mumbled under her breath. _Will you stop talking to me? It's embarrassing!_

_As long as you stop calling me a demon, _Oni demanded._  
><em>

_Sticking to the story, _Mystia informed rudely._ You are a demon._

"You might not want to talk to your demon," Scrubs pointed out. "It looks weird when you do."

"Yes, sorry, Scrubs," Mystia apologized again. "It's just that he won't stop talking to me."

_Not my fault that you answer back, _Oni smirked._  
><em>

_Grrrr... _Mystia growled._  
><em>

"Okay," said Scrubs, who was disturbed. "This is a little weird.

"Forgive me, Scrubs," said Mystia embarrassed. "I'll be better at it."

"I hope," Scrubs said. "The next thing you know, people will think you're the crazy one."

"That's...very comforting..." Mystia said with an annoyed grimace.

_We can ditch him now! _Oni pointed out._  
><em>

_Forget it!_ Mystia refused._  
><em>

"So," Mystia said aloud, "you call yourself a brave adventurer. What do you do that's so brave?"

"Oh!" Scrubs said with excitement. "I can tell you about the time that I beat up seven in one blow!"

"Seven what in one blow?" Mystia asked in curiosity.

"Oh, just some spiders!" Scrubs clarified.

"Spiders?" she said with a smile of amusement.

"Yeah!" Scrubs said with pride. "There they were, all surrounding me. I had nowhere to go. They laughed and gawked at me, but little did they know that I was going to use...my twirl attack! I spun like crazy, causing me to become dizzy! When I came to, the spiders were gone!"

_They probably just ran off at his stupidity!_ Oni said factually_.  
><em>

"That sure sounded dangerous for you," Mystia commented.

"Danger is my middle name," Scrubs stated.

Suddenly, there was some rustling in the bushes.

"Okay, what was that?" Mystia asked aloud.

Then, out from the bushes, came goblin-like creatures. They were shouting chants as they ran towards Mystia and Scrubs.

"Uh, oh!" Scrubs said. "Moblins!"

Mystia recalled her father mentioning that the dark forest had monsters roaming about in them, but she had never seen so many. There were at least thirty of them heading her way. Even with her weapon, she wasn't going to deal with them.

"Come on, Starfire!" she commanded her horse. "Hya!"

Starfire began to rush through the dark forest towards the north. Mystia sensed the moblins catching up to them quickly. _Now what? I can't fight them all off on horse. _She then felt Scrubs crawl around her and to the back of the horse.

"Don't worry," Scrubs said as he sat behind Mystia with his stubby arms holding her tunic. "I'll stop them!"

She looked back temporarily to see Scrubs pop a Deku nut inside his windpipe. He then spat it out hard enough that it fired all the way to the moblins. The nut exploded in their faces, causing them to become paralyzed. She looked forward to make sure she wasn't running into anything then looked back again. They had lost sight of the moblins.

"See?" Scrubs said confidently. "What did I tell you?"

_That you're a crazy Deku nut?_ Oni mentioned annoyingly.

Mystia looked back at Scrubs with a smile.

"Thanks, Scrubs." she said gratefully. "That was a big help."

"Nah!" said the Deku. "It was nothing."

But then, more moblins came back, but this time twice as many and twice as furious.

"Oops..." said Scrubs. "This can't be good."

_Danger being his middle name,_ Oni brought up rudely, _it's no wonder we have moblins chasing us down!_

Mystia ignored his comment and continued to press forward. Scrubs popped more nuts into his mouth and kept firing at the moblins as they got close. Mystia heard the sounds of snaps, pops, and screeches from behind. Then, she heard Scrubs.

"Uh, oh!" Scrubs stated. "I ran out of Deku nuts!"

Mystia looked back to see at least fifty moblins still following them. _Great! Now how do we get out of this mess?_

_I have an idea!_ Oni said. _And I know this will work because it's my idea._

_Imperious much?_ Mystia asked harshly.

_I'm not imperious! _Oni objected.

_Sure. You just made that comment to make yourself sound stupid! _Mystia said incredulously.

_Do you want to hear the plan or not? _Oni said in frustration.

Mystia growled. _Fine! What is it?_

_Do you remember how you escaped from the skeletons the first time? _Oni asked.

_Yes...How would you know that?_ Mystia asked.

_I did some research, _Oni replied.

_WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT INVADING!?_ Mystia exclaimed within.

_Okay! Okay! Goht!_ Oni said in defense._ You sure have an attitude problem! Anyway, try using the same maneuvers on them. That might slow them down._

_I__t…it m__ight be worth a shot. _Mystia thought realistically.

"Hang on, Scrubs!" she shouted to the Deku. "I'm going to maneuver through these trees!"

Mystia pulled on Starfire's black mane to move the mare towards the thicker part of the woods. As she did the first time, she weaved Starfire through the tight corners between the trees. She could feel Scrubs tightening his grip on her tunic.

"Whatever your intended purpose is," Scrubs spoke up, "it seems to be working."

Mystia glanced back to see most of the moblins missing among the forest of trees. She looked forward and continued with confidence through her maneuvers. Suddenly, she felt the horse jolt slightly.

"AAHH!" Scrubs exclaimed.

Mystia looked back and saw a moblin holding onto Starfire. It looked at her with a snarl, baring its pointy white teeth. She took her hand and punched it in the face. The moblin let go and tumbled to the ground. It was then she noticed the other moblins were gone. She continued riding until she knew for certain that she was far enough to stop her horse.

"Whew!" Scrubs said. "That was close!"

"Tell me about it!" Mystia sighed.

_You should thank me!_ Oni said, arrogantly. _After all, it was my idea._

_Give it a rest, Mr. Modest!_ Mystia thought with a roll of her eyes.

"Great job, Mystia," Scrubs praised. "You sure know how to deal with those creeps!"

"Thanks, Scrubs," Mystia smiled.

Scrubs crawled back to the front and raised his stubby fist in the air. "Alright! Off to Hyrule!"

Mystia nodded in agreement. She turned Starfire back north and commanded her to take off.

"Say, Scrubs," Mystia said. "You got anymore stories to tell me?"

"Oh, yes! I got plenty!" Scrubs said even more proud.

_Oh, no..._ she heard Oni grumble.

* * *

><p>Izzy: Goodie! I like Scrubs! He's so cute!<p>

Roecliff: *annoyed* Sure! Cute...

*Scrubs waddles in*

Scrubs: Hello!

Roecliff: Wha!

Oni: Oh, no! Not you again!

Scrubs: Who are you?

Oni: *darkly* Your worst nightmare!

Scrubs: *runs out* AAAAAHHHHHHH!

*Oni chases after it*

Roecliff: O.o What...just happened?

Izzy: So now Mystia has met Scrubs, the Deku Scrub. Both of them are going on a quest to Hyrule to see the princess who resides there.

*Scrubs and Oni run across, behind Izzy*

Scrubs: AAAAAHHHHHH!

Oni: Mwahahahahahahahaha!

Izzy: O.o Okay? So what happens next on Mystia and Scrubs' quest? Find out in chapter five. Please review! *turns toward the running group* ONI! CUT IT OUT!

Oni: Heehee!


	6. What Not to Say to A Bulokoblin

Izzy: Here it is! Chapter Five!

Oni and Scrubs: Yes! (both look at each other) Oh, Din, NO!

Izzy: Summary! Scrubs has joined Mystia on her epic quest to Hyrule. Oni hates Scrubs already-

Oni: Tell me about it.

Scrubs: What's that suppose to mean?

Oni: You're an annoying Deku Scrub! That's what I mean.

Roecliff: People! Get over it!

Izzy: Go ahead and read. I gotta take care of this...

Disclaimer: Dang it! I wish that I owned Zelda!

* * *

><p>The dark forest started to get brighter as Mystia and Scrubs tracked through the woods, but not bright enough for Mystia to dim her glow. They knew that they would soon be out. The whole ride, Scrubs talked non stop about his home in the Dark Forest and what he did there.<p>

_Please make it stop!_ Oni complained. _That Deku Nut is going to drive me insane!_

_Sounds like someone else I know,_ Mystia replied factually. _I, on the other hand, don't mind his talking. At least he isn't disrespectful like a certain demon._

_ I'm NOT a demon!_

"...and I asked, 'How is it possible to get that Deku nut in that hole?'" Scrubs was saying, "And he responded, 'I used a Deku stick and hammered it in!'"

With that, Scrubs laughed like a chattering squirrel like it was some joke. Of course, Mystia didn't get it because she didn't hear the whole joke from hearing Oni's whining, so all she could do was look confused.

When Scrubs looked back up, he jumped and said, "Oh, look! We're out!"

Mystia looked ahead and confirmed it. Instead of a forest before them, there was a large canyon, stretching out before them. Bits of shriveled grass grew in certain spots and the sky was completely covered in dark, black clouds. No light was found save for Mystia's glow.

"This must be Cabistone Canyon," Mystia commented.

_Cabistone Canyon, _Oni said. _There should be a bridge around here to help us get to the other side._

Mystia trotted Starfire around to find the bridge. She even glanced down beside the canyon to see how deep it was. Nothing but pitch black darkness. She pulled out one of the nuts from her bag and dropped it down. She didn't even hear a sound.

"Well, that's one canyon I don't want to fall into," she stated and moved Starfire away from the edge.

"I agree," said Scrubs with a shiver. "It doesn't look safe."

She looked to the other side of the canyon. A tall mountain of dirt and rock stood before her. She knew it had to be Cabistone Mountain. It was said in her village that hundreds of years back there once was a race of creatures that lived there, but they were wiped out by the monster that took its place in their home. She never found out the name of the creatures for it was long forgotten what they were. She hoped that the tale was meant to be a scary story for children and not the real thing.

"Found the bridge," announced Scrubs.

There before them was a wooden bridge held together with ropes, stretching across the canyon. Mystia jumped off Starfire and led her horse to the entrance.

"STOP!"

Out of nowhere dropped a giant creature right before them. It was green skinned, its face looked almost like a bull with horns coming from his head and a longish snout, and it was very bulky in muscle and fat. It held a shield and spear and his clothes made of animal hide covered his waist to his knees. It smelled like seven-week old garbage.

"You can't pass here!" It growled, holding up his shield and spear in defense.

Scrubs jumped. "Ew! What is that?"

"Good question," Mystia replied.

_It's a bulokoblin,_ Oni stated. _They are known for their strength and stupidity. They are also modest about themselves._

_Really? _She thought to herself. _Then what if-_

_You distract him enough to get past him by complimenting on its features?_ Oni finished._ Sounds like a good plan._

_Will you stop that!_ Mystia growled.

Oni huffed. _Beg your pardon! I was actually complimenting your plan for once. _

"Hate to interrupt your 'deep thought', Mystia," Scrubs said, "but we need to get past this guy somehow."

"I'll take care of that." She walked up to the bulokoblin.

"Are you crazy?" Scrubs exclaimed in a hushed, harsh tone. "You're going to get yourself killed!"

The creature grunted as Mystia approached.

"You cannot pass!" It said again while holding up its spear and shield in defense.

"Excuse me, sir," Mystia began, "but I couldn't help but notice how strong you look. I mean, look at those muscles!"

Scrubs cocked his wooden head to the side in confusion. "What?"

The bulokoblin lowered his shield and grinned, his bull ears twitching.

"Well, uh...thanks!" the creature said, sheepishly. "That's very...kind of you."

"Do you work out?" Mystia asked.

"Not really. It's all natural," the monster told her.

"Interesting." Mystia said as if interested. "A nice, strong person like you makes a good guard."

"I'm flattered," it said with the silly grin on his face, showing all of his teeth with some rotting.

"Oh...my goodness," Mystia said, cringing a smile. "Your smile is so...nice."

The creature grew even more sheepish and rubbed his neck.

"Really?" he said with a slight stutter. "No one has ever said anything about my smile before. You seem like a nice person."

"I do my best," she mumbled.

"I am so confused," said Scrubs, shaking his head in his hand.

"I also noticed your handsome features," Mystia continued.

"Oh, that's nothing-" the creature began to say.

"He's not handsome!" shouted Scrubs.

Mystia glanced back at Scrubs, giving him a cold stare.

"Yes, he is!" She harshly whispered.

"No, he's not! He's butt-ugly!" Scrubs pointed out.

The creature growled at Scrubs. "What was that?"

"You heard me," the Deku said with a cold stare. "...or are you too stupid to know that?"

"How DARE you call me stupid!" the creature shouted.

Mystia jumped in front of the bulokoblin. "No, of course not! You're very smart! Intelligent even-"

"No, he's a stupid, crappy, smelly, butt-ugly troll that lives in a garbage heap!" Scrubs said.

"TROLL!" the creature shouted in anger. "I AM NOT A TROLL!"

_Oh, for the love of Oldawla! _Oni said, getting frustrated. _He's ruining the plan!_

"Yes, you are, Mr. Modest Pig Head!" Scrubs insulted.

"THAT'S IT! YOU'RE DEAD!" The bulokoblin roared.

The monster took one step forward, causing the ground to shake. Starfire, with a startle, leaped so high that Scrubs fell off, landing hard on the ground. He shook his head and watched the bulokoblin get closer.

"I'M GOING TO TURN YOU INTO A PILE OF WOOD CHIPS, YOU LITTLE TWIG!" The creature promised.

Scrubs got up and, as fast as his little stubby legs could carry him, rushed off with a squeal towards a pile of rocks.

"Oh, no you don't!" Mystia growled as she pulled out her sword.

With one swift move, she got in between Scrubs and the bulokoblin.

"You stay away from the Deku!" Mystia demanded.

The monster roared and charged at her. She jumped over it and quickly slashed her sword against its back and jabbed it into its spine. It howled in pain and fell on the ground. It turned black before exploding into a puff of smoke. All that remained were the shield, spear, and a small satchel.

_ I should of done that in the first place, _she thought in frustration. _It would of been muc__h easier._

She cleaned off her sword before returning it on her back and picked up the satchel to look inside. Resting within it was an orange rupee.

_Wow! _She thought. _He must have been tolling this bridge or he swiped it from someone._

_That...stupid...Deku Nut!_ Fumed Oni. _If he had kept his little windpipe shut-_

_ Shut up, Oni! _She barked to Oni._  
><em>

"Scrubs?" Mystia called out. "Scrubs! Where are you?"

Out from behind some rock clumps, Scrubs popped his little head out.

"Ah! Good! It's safe," the Deku sighed.

_Not when I get my hands around his little wooden neck!_ Oni said in a threatening tone.

_Will you cut it out?_ Mystia told Oni._  
><em>

Scrubs reached Mystia with a waddle.

"I was starting to get worried," Scrubs said. "I mean, that ugly troll was going to chop me up."

"Scrubs," Mystia said with frustration, "why didn't you listen to me? What I was doing was all part of my plan."

"What? To lie about its complexion?" Scrubs asked.

"Yes, Scrubs," Mystia said while trying to be gentle with the Deku. "We could of gotten past it if you weren't throwing mean comments to it."

"I...I was only being honest..." Scrubs replied.

Mystia raised her voice at him. "Well, your honesty almost got you killed."

Scrubs lowered his head in shame. "I...I'm sorry," he whimpered. "I will never tell the truth ever again."

_Apology not accepted!_ Oni grumbled. _As far as I'm concern, I wouldn't have mind if that monster had made wood chips out of that loud mouth._

Mystia rolled her eyes and gave a sigh.

_He didn't know any better,_ she thought. _So why did I yell at him?_

She knelt to the ground, placing her hand on the Deku's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Scrubs," Mystia said. "I didn't mean to yell at you. I should of told you what the plan was. You don't have to stop being honest." She gave a small chuckle. "Besides, my honesty here, he was truly a big, fat, ugly troll."

When Scrubs looked up, she gave him a warm smile.

"Don't worry about it, okay?" Mystia assured.

"Okay," he replied and rubbed his eye with a sniff. "Thanks."

Mystia stood back up and looked toward the bridge.

"Let's move before anymore trolls show up," Mystia said with a grin.

She placed Scrubs back on Starfire, grabbed the horse's mane, and walked up to the bridge. She tested it out with her foot to check its steadiness. It felt wobbly, but that was natural for a wooden-roped bridge. She proceeded to cross.

The wind made the bridge sway as she and the mare crossed. She looked back at Scrubs who had his hands up to his face so he wouldn't look down. She looked down herself. Nothing but pitch black darkness, which made her woozy. She looked ahead and saw that they were over halfway across the bridge. She then heard a snap.

_What was that? _she wondered._  
><em>

"Mystia?" asked Scrubs. "I don't think that's suppose to happen."

She looked back and saw that one rope to the bridge had detached itself from the pole on the other side.

"Oh Din!" she exclaimed and looked up at Starfire. "Hurry up, girl! Hurry!"

They rushed quickly to the other side as fast as they could go. She almost made it to the post when she heard the other snap.

"Mystia! It's falling!" Scrubs shouted in fear.

"JUMP!" the deity girl commanded.

Starfire responded and both girl and horse leaped to the cliff. She heard a squeal behind her and the sound of rushing wind and clattering wood. Both Mystia and Starfire landed on the cliff just as the bridge slapped itself against the rock and dangled there.

"Whew!" Mystia exclaimed as she rubbed her head. "Thank Farore! We made it!"

She heard a squeak and she looked back to see, sitting on Starfire as stiff as the wood he was made of, Scrubs clinging on Starfire's neck for dear life.

"Scrubs, you can let go now," Mystia informed the frightened shrub.

The Deku let out a heavy sight and released Starfire's neck.

"That...was scary!" he said. "Don't make me...do that again!"

_This moment is priceless, _Mystia heard Oni chuckle. _I think I feel better now._

Mystia ignored his comment and glanced toward Cabistone Mountain.

"Once we pass through this mountain, it will take us to Mountain Village," she said. "After that, a quick stop at Termina. Let's go."

* * *

><p>Izzy: Wow! What action! What thrill!<p>

Oni: Oh Goht! That twig's still around?

Scrubs: Yes, I am! Izzy likes me.

Oni: I don't know why she likes you. You're nothing but a pest!

Scrubs: PEST! Why you...

(Roecliff holds Scrubs back with one claw)

Scrubs: Let me at 'em! Let me at 'em!

Izzy: So now they are on their way to Termina for a quick stop, but what befalls them on Cabistone Mountain? Chapter Six coming soon!

Scrubs: (huff puff) Ugh! Let...me...at...him...uhhhhhhh!

Roecliff: Please review.


	7. The Road Less Traveled

*Oni steps in*

Oni: Greetings, everyone. This is Oni. I will be filling in for Isabelle for a little bit. I know she took FOREVER to update this story and...

Izzy: Oni? What are you doing?

Oni *startled* What? Oh! Nothing! Just...

Izzy: Doing MY job? I don't think so!

Oni: *grumbles and walks away*

Izzy: Sorry about that. The reason why it took so long was because I had to get my story edited by my beta. I like to thank HenrytheWise for his amazing skills in grammer! You go, Dude! ^-^ Now my stories will definitely improve!

Roecliff: It's about time!

Izzy: Oh, quit! Anyway, onto summary. Mystia and Scrubs just managed to escape a bulokoblin and a collapsing bridge. Now they are on their way to Cabistone Mountain. What will happen there?

Oni: Does it occur to you that you never mention my name in the most recent summaries? Where am I in...

Izzy: On with the story!

Disclaimers: OH HOW I HATE THIS PART! I don't own Zelda in any shape or form! OKAY! GEE!

* * *

><p>Cabistone Mountain was becoming covered in snow and ice as the autumn months became colder, sooner than Mystia had expected it to be. She and Scrubs made it to the mountain trail and, with Mystia on foot and pulling Starfire along, began to climb it. It was leveled out for travelers with horses and carts trying to reach the next town on the other side of the mountain, which was convenient for Mystia with her horse. As they climbed higher, it got colder. Mystia heard Scrubs shiver, which sounded more like vibrating boards on a tree house. She looked back at Scrubs, who had been sitting on Starfire's back, and saw him shaking in the cold wind.<p>

"Brrr!" he purred and chattered, holding his stubby arms around his tiny, wooden body. "Does it have to be this cold? I'm turning into a wooden icicle here!"

Mystia stopped and shivered herself. It was starting to get to her, too. She had wished she had her blankets with her. Then, she remembered. Her baby blanket! That could work for a Deku. She reached into on of her bags hanging on Starfire's side and pulled out the old, green blanket. She unfolded it and wrapped it around Scrubs.

"Oh! Wow, thanks," Scrubs shivered. "This is very warm and soft."

"You're welcome," she said with a smile. She grabbed Starfire's mane and continued up the road. She rubbed her left arm in a shiver.

"Mystia?" Scrubs spoke.

"Yeah?" Mystia said.

"Why are there burn marks on the blanket?" the Deku asked.

Mystia paused. She had never thought of that before. Why _were_ there burn marks on the blanket? How did they get there?

"I...I don't know," she admitted. "I never found out."

"You mean no one told you?" he asked.

"Well, my parents said that it was like that when they found me," Mystia told him.

"Found you?" he asked, sounding intrigued, "Were you adopted?"

"Yes, I was. The blanket was the only thing I had," she said, gazing at the green cloth fondly, "They don't know where I came from, but they took me in and raised me. They were so young then."

She felt tears build up in her eyes and she tried to wiped them away. "They didn't have a child of their own, so they treated me like I was their daughter. They did tell me I was adopted (which I had accepted), but they made me feel a part of their lives." She gave a slight sniff, and rubbed her pupil-less eyes again.

"Have you ever wondered where your real parents are?" Scrubs asked.

She nodded. "The blanket is my only clue. It has a symbol on it: three gold triangles that formed into one."

Scrubs' eyes frowned at the image on the blanket. "Yeah, I've never seen it before. I wonder what it is?" he pondered.

"Not sure," Mystia responded, "but when I get to Hyrule, I'm going to find… Oh, no!"

Up ahead on the snowy path, giant boulders were clumped in the middle of the passage between the tight corners of the mountain, blocking the way.

"Din!" Mystia swore. "The path is blocked! _Now_ how do we get through?"

"Look over there," said Scrubs, pointing to the right.

Mystia looked to see a sign, pointing in three directions. One said, 'To Mountain Village' another said, 'To Cabistone Canyon', and the last one...

"To Deku Palace?" Mystia read.

"Deku Palace sounds promising," Scrubs said enthusiastically, "Dekus can be really friendly."

"No one from my village that went to Hyrule has told me about this," Mystia said thoughtfully, "but maybe we should try that path."

More _Dekus?_ Oni said annoyed, _That's_ _the last thing we need. They are so bothersome!_

_ You are the most disrespectful person ever!_ Mystia thought, _Not_ _all Dekus are bothersome._

_ I've been to the Deku Palace! _Oni informed the deity girl._ The Deku King there doesn't care about anyone except him and his precious princess. And he's very rash about everything! Don't you tell me that not _all _Dekus are __bothersome!_

_ Fine, Mr. Expert on everything! _Mystia said rudely_.  
><em>

_ Was that a compliment or a sarcastic remark? _Oni said. Mystia could sense that he was grinning about it._  
><em>

"Mystia!" Scrubs squealed.

"Huh? What?" Mystia said as she snapped out of her thoughts.

"We got trouble!" Scrubs exclaimed.

That's when she heard an ominous sound: rumbling. The ground shook hard and she looked up. Tons of snow, ice, and rocks were sliding down the mountain, right towards them.

_ Oh, Goht! An avalanche! _cried Oni, _Quick! Find cover!_

"Oh, Din!" Mystia swore again. "Come on, girl!"

Mystia turned Starfire around and rushed her as fast as she could away from the falling debris. Scrubs ducked, causing a shield to pop onto his back. Mystia kept dragging the horse, dodging the ice and rocks that fell. She looked up to see it getting closer.

"Mystia! A cave up ahead!" Scrubs shouted as he peered out from under his shield.

Without a doubt, she saw the cave and the sign that said, 'Up ahead: Deku Palace'.

"Hurry, girl!" Mystia said to her horse. "Inside!"

Mystia led the horse quickly into the cave. Once inside, the snow, rocks, and ice poured in front of the cave, piling up in front of the entrance. Soon, the cave was blocked and only source of light was Mystia's glow. She increased the brightness so they could see. The dark cave turned out to be a man-made. It continued downwards and out of sight.

"That was close!" Mystia said with relief. "Come on, let's go. There's no other direction we can take."

She pulled on the mane, but Starfire didn't budge.

"Oh, come on, Starfire! Don't do this to me!" the girl pleaded with a whine.

She kept giving commands, but Starfire decided to kneel down instead.

Mystia growled, "What's wrong with you?"

_ Maybe she's tired from all that rushing you made her go through_, stated Oni. _Or _s_he could be hungry. _

_ True,_ Mystia thought. _She hasn't eaten since we left the dark forest._

She then felt her stomach growl. _And _I _haven't had anything to eat since I was back home._

"You're hungry, aren't ya, girl?" she asked Starfire.

The mare gave her a nod as if to say 'Yes! I'm starving!'

"Thought so," Mystia nodded, then looked at the shrub. "Are you hungry, Scrubs?"

"A little," he replied. "What do you have?"

She bent over to look inside the large bag. Inside she found a loaf of bread, some cheese, carrots (for Starfire), nuts, apples, and shredded cucco meat, dried and shriveled up for traveling. She pulled them all out and showed them to Scrubs.

"This is what we have, along with a canteen of water," she informed the Deku. "What do you want?"

Scrubs didn't answer, but hopped off Starfire, grabbed the nuts and began to shovel them down his pipe.

"Scrubs! Save those!" Mystia exclaimed. "That's all we have!"

Surprised he stopped… and then fired the nuts out like bullets against the wall.

"Sorry, wasn't thinking," he said sheepishly.

_ Just look at that!_ Oni said with annoyance. _He just wasted a bunch of Deku nuts! How inconsiderate! He will only cause more problems if we keep him with us any longer._

_ At least he doesn't complain, unlike _someone _I know,_ Mystia said in annoyance._  
><em>

_ I don't complain! _Oni said in offense._ I'm only stating a fact._

_ With a hint of annoyance, _Mystia pointed out,_ which, by the way, is giving me a headache._

Oni heavily sighed. _You know what? Fine! Have it your way, but I don't trust that Deku._

_ Who said that you had to trust him? _Mystia fumed slightly._ And he isn't the only person not to be trusted either._

Silence filled her head.

_Thank goodness,_ she thought in relief_._

She looked at Scrubs, who was picking up the last of the nuts and brushing them off. He waddled over to Mystia and handed them to her.

"Here," he said pathetically. "I cleaned them off for you."

She looked at him and grinned. For a small, hard-headed Deku, he sure had a big, soft heart,

"Thanks, Scrubs," Mystia said. "That was very kind of you."

"I'll try to be more considerate next time," Scrubs promised. "After all, you provided the food. It's only fair that you have some, too."

Scrubs sat down and the two ate small portions of each item. The food was meant for one person to eat until he or she arrived at the next village, so she gave her half portion to Scrubs (which consisted of nuts and apples that he sucked through his mouth). After they were satisfied, Mystia took her carrots and fed them to Starfire, who appeared quite content eating them. She bagged up the rest of the food and replaced it back on Starfire. As soon as she got the horse to stand up again, she set the Deku on the horse's back, clicked at Starfire, and they began their journey through the dark tunnel.

It led sloped down more than the two thought it did. They both wondered if it would ever go up at all. It seemed to last forever until they found themselves in what looked like a great hall of stalactites and stalagmites. The sound of dripping water could be heard throughout the whole cave. Mystia noticed the walls were smooth and glistening, and she saw her breath mist from her mouth.

"I don't think this place was used for traveling much," Mystia commented and the walls echoed. "These walls are still smooth."

"There could be a good reason," Scrubs said. "It's dark in here."

_ If only I was in physical form,_ said Oni. _I would give him quite a fright._

_ Not in this body!_ She replied harshly.

Feet and hooves echoed with every step they took. Mystia's bright glow showed the ceiling to be really high up.

"We must be in the base of the mountain," she announced. "If only we could find a cave leading up."

Suddenly, the cave rumbled, causing dust and dirt to fall from above. Starfire reared and neighed in fright. Then, the quake subsided.

"Wha...what was that?" shivered Scrubs.

"Could be another avalanche," Mystia replied, "Or just an earthquake. We better find a way out of here quickly."

It was easier said than done. It took was felt like an hour before Mystia and Scrubs found the other side of the cave. After a long time of walking against the wall, they had found an exit.

"Thank Farore! A cave!" Mystia sighed in relief. "Let's get going."

"Wait!" shouted a voice.

She froze. That wasn't Scrub's or Oni's voice. It also wasn't Ashasti's either. She turned and saw a mysterious figure.

Everything on him was a shade of black and white. He wore a large, black cloak that covered most of his body with a white medallion on his left shoulder, holding the cloak in place. The border of the cloak had a crisscross design in white. It was the same pattern used for his boots and rounded, small turban. He had a mask covering the bottom half of his pale face from the nose down. He also had dark black hair that covered his right eye. The eye that was visible was a yellowish gold, which was the only color he appeared to possess. Mystia had never seen such a person.

"You don't want to go down that tunnel," he said in a deep voice. He took a few steps forward, his cape swaying in motion. "It's dangerous down there."

"How would you know that?" Mystia asked. "Where did you come from?"

"Where I came from is nothing for you to worry about at the moment," the figure informed her. "There are far more pressing matters at hand. There's another way out of here that will be safer and quicker. I can take you there. Please, follow me."

He turned and began to walk the other way.

"Why should I?" Mystia said as she glared at him suspiciously. "How do I know I can trust you? Do you even know where I am going?"

The black-haired figure glanced back at her.

"I'm doing you a favor and helping you out of this mountain," he replied. "I don't expect you to trust me."

The man continued through the darkness.

"I don't like this," Scrubs muttered to Mystia. "If anything seemed dangerous, it's him."

_ As much as I don't like this Deku,_ Oni stated, _I have to agree with him. This person doesn't even have a lantern. How did he get down here anyway?_

"Don't worry," said Mystia. "I'll keep my guard up." She lightly tugged on Starfire's mane and followed the mysterious figure.

* * *

><p>They had tracked through the cave with Mystia's glow as a guide. The mysterious figure stopped before a set of columns and pointed north towards a far-off tunnel.<p>

"If you go through there," said the figure, "you will enter the Deku Palace of the Southern Swamps. Trek through the swamp and you will find Termina, where Clock Town resides. The town is in the center of a huge field."

"Wait," Mystia said with a stunned look on her pale face. "How did you know I was going to Termina? Or even the Deku Palace?"

"I can't talk about that now," the man told her. "It's not the time or place to discuss these things."

"Why not?" Mystia said getting frustrated at the stranger. "You came out of nowhere in a dark cave with no lantern and somehow found out that I was going to Termina. How do I know you're not working for the enemy?"

"If I were working for the enemy, I would have killed you already," the man pointed out.

"Or maybe you're leading me down into a trap," Mystia guessed.

"Then I wouldn't have stopped you from going down the other cavern," the stranger said.

"What if the other cavern wasn't dangerous?" Mystia pursued.

"By Din's Fire, Mystia!" the man shouted. Do you have to keep asking these ridiculous questions?"

"How do you know my name?" Mystia yelled. "Who are you?"

Suddenly, another earthquake rose. The ground shook so hard that it knocked Mystia off her feet. Starfire got spooked and leaped with Scrubs holding on for dear life.

"Din!" the figure grumbled, "The creature is waking up from its hibernation. There's no time to discuss this. You must leave at once. I'll hold it off, so you can get ahead. Go!"

"What?" said a shocked Mystia, "What creature?"

"GO!" the man yelled.

Mystia, Scrubs, and Starfire took off toward the mouth of the cave. Mystia stopped to look back.

The figure had removed his cloak, revealing the other articles of clothing he wore. His balloon pants were black and the same crisscross patter that was on his cloak and turban were on his belt as well. The white peasant shirt he wore was tucked in and long sleeved with one sleeve missing on his pale, right arm. The bare arm, from his wrist to his elbow, had the crisscross pattern covering it. He held his left hand up in front of him.

Right before him appeared a huge, white mole with red eyes. Its snout was long and pointed and it bared its sharp teeth at the figure. The creature rocked back and forth against the walls, causing the ground to shake more. Mystia heard rocks falling.

"MYSTIA!" she heard Scrubs cry.

She looked back at the cave, which was blocked off by boulders.

"Oh, Din!" Mystia groaned.

_ That's what happens when you don't follow orders,_ Oni smirked. _You end up stuck in situations you don't want to be in._

_ Are you always like this with people?_ Mystia snarled._  
><em>

_ Trust me. I could say worse, _Oni informed the girl._  
><em>

Mystia looked towards the mole. The figure kept dodging its huge, sharp claws.

_ Man, that creature looks tough, _Mystia thought._  
><em>

_ Wait! I see something! _Oni exclaimed_. On it's head! Do you see it?_

_ See what? _Mystia said confused._  
><em>

_ Oh, right! You don't have my eyes yet, _Oni sighed to himself._ The eyes of the Fierce Deity can see the invisible. Watch._

Mystia vision changed right before her. Instead of the dark colored halls, she saw everything in a reddish-purple hue.

_ Whoa! That's weird! _she thought as she took a step back. The change in vision threw her off a bit._  
><em>

_ This vision is what I call the Eyes of Truth,_ Oni informed._ You can see everything that is visible or invisible. Now, look on the mole's head and tell me what you see._

Mystia looked and gasped. On top of the mole's head was a figure, but it didn't look human. It was shaped like a human, but it was a white, solid ghost with bright, beady red eyes. It was holding the mole's head with such force, making it even more angry.

_ What in the world is that?_ Mystia thought to Oni.

_ I don't have a clue,_ Oni replied. _I've never seen this species before in my life._

_ I doubt even that guy sees this, _Mystia pointed out._ I should help him._

_ Whoa! Wait a minute! _Oni said quickly_. Help him? We don't even know what he's capable of!_

_ I know, but what if the next traveler decides to come through here and run into that mole?_ she mentioned._  
><em>

Oni was silent.

_ Wow, you're so helpful, aren't you? _Mystia said sarcastically._  
><em>

_ I've got nothing to say, _Oni said._  
><em>

Mystia pulled out her sword and rushed up next to the figure. He noticed her with a shocked look in his gold eye.

"What are you doing?" he said with frustration. "I told you to get out of here!"

"The cave is blocked," Mystia confirmed, "so it looks like you're stuck with me no matter what."

The figure huffed. "You should have listened to me the first time."

"Sorry to interrupt our argument, but we have a bigger fight to deal with here!" Mystia pointed out.

"We? Forget it!" the man told her. "I'm not going to let you fight this thing! It's too dangerous!"

"Oh, and you are doing any better?" Mystia remarked sarcastically. "Look, there's something different about this creature. If you let me at it, I'll be able to stop its little tantrum! Got it?"

A huge claw swiped towards them. Both warriors dodged it in time and landed in a crouch, an arm thrown out for balance.

"Fine," the man said with a glare, "but please be careful!"

Mystia rushed toward the monster. The mole's beady eyes caught her and it screamed with a loud shrill. The white figure on its head looked down at her with its red eyes. It shook its arm at her in anger and started messing with the mole's head again.

The mole quickly raised its paw and started to swipe at her again, but Mystia was faster. She dodged the blow, landed on the mole's arm and leaped onto its head. The white figure was stunned at how quick she got on top and didn't have a chance to react before Mystia brought down her sword on its head. Right before her eyes, the figure shattered into white pieces and each one dissipated into thin air.

The mole shook its head, causing Mystia to lose her footing and fall on the ground with a hard thump. It began to shrink down in size. Soon, it became what appeared its normal size.

The mole shook his head again. He looked up and saw Mystia with her sword. It squealed in fear and took off toward the other side of the cave. Mystia sheathed her sword and turned to the figure, who had replaced his cloak around his body again.

"I must say, I'm impressed," he said. "How did you know that white shadow was on its head?"

_ He knew?_ Mystia thought in shock.

_ More of a reason NOT to trust him!_ Oni pointed out._  
><em>

"I would like to know how you knew," Mystia responded while crossing her arms. "Also, explain how you knew my name and where I was going. Who are you?"

"Goodness, Mystia, one question at a time," the boy said. "My name is Takaro and I am from Hyrule. I've been following my instinct a lot lately and discovered you. I felt as if I had known you and that you were coming here, so I came here to meet with you. Now, I would be willing to tell you everything, but it would be too hard to explain. I also felt the need to protect you and make sure you get to Hyrule safely."

"Hold on!" exclaimed Mystia. "How did you know I was going to Hyrule? I didn't even tell you I was going there!"

"Like I said, it's hard to explain," Takaro said. "Now about the white shadow, I've also been tracking down these things. They've been causing problems."

"There's more of them like that!?" Mystia exclaimed.

"Unfortunately," Takaro said grimly, "The white shadows are mysterious creatures that cause things to turn black and white. If they enter a person, they can possess them to do whatever they want. They also like things to be reverted to its natural state, like fish and rocks."

"How do you know all this?" Mystia asked.

"It's happened in Termina," the boy said, "so trust me when I say this: You will find more dangers outside of this cave than you could imagine. Try to be careful on your travels. Now you must get to Hyrule. I will open a way for you to get out of here."

He raised his hand up and a huge, yellow light formed from it. It blasted away and slammed into the boulders, causing them to blow up.

"I hope you make it to Hyrule safely," he told her. "We will meet again, Mystia."

With that, he backed away and faded into the blackness.

"WAIT!" Mystia called out angrily, "Come back here! I'm not finished with you!"

_ Following instinct, indeed!_ Oni said. _Hmph! What a lame excuse! I still want to know how he knew about us!_

_ At this point,_ Mystia replied to Oni, _I don't know if he'll ever tell us._

Mystia walked towards the entrance of the tunnel and found Scrubs, still sitting on Starfire. He leapt up and down on the horse's back when he saw her.

"Oh, thank goodness, you're okay!" he exclaimed, "I was so worried about you!"

"I'm okay, Scrubs," Mystia assured the little Deku. "Are you okay?"

"Of course, I'm okay!" Scrubs said with pride as he thumped his chest with a hollow 'thunk' for emphasis. "Why wouldn't I be? I'm the most fearless adventurer around! If I had know you were going to fight that giant creature, I would have been right next to you!"

_ Yeah right!_ said Oni, _More like right behind you!_

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Scrubs announced. "Let's get going to Termina!"

They went on their way through the tunnel. As they got deeper, they began to notice the cave turning black and white. Before they knew it, they found themselves before a small door colored in black and white.

"This must be it," Mystia stated.

"Yeah," Scrubs said a little wary, "but shouldn't it look more colorful?"

"Perhaps," Mystia said with a shrug, "Let's go inside."

She pushed the door open and right before them was...

"Oh, Din!" Mystia said in shock.

* * *

><p>Scrubs: What? What happened?<p>

Izzy: HA! You won't find out til the next chapter!

Oni: That is SO unfair!

Izzy: Well, it looks like there is something going on here. A white shadow? A stranger named Takaro? How does he know Mystia and where she was going? Find out next chapter!

Oni: How long will the next chapter take?

Izzy: o.o...

Scrubs: I don't like the look on her face.

Oni: You've got to be kidding me!

Roecliff: Review please.


	8. A World Gone Mad

Izzy: Hello, everyone! Here's the next chapter.

Oni: What took you so long?

Roecliff: Her boyfriend...

Izzy: That...and my beta was helping me with edits.

Scrubs: Oh, forget why it took so long! I want to know what happens next!

Izzy: SUMMARY! Mystia and Scrubs had made it to the Deku Palace, but what do they find when Mystia says, "Oh, Din!"? Let's find out!

Scrubs: The suspense is killing me!

Oni: Really? Awesome!

Disclaimer: I will dominate the world and then take illegal claims on the Zelda games. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! But not today... :(

* * *

><p>They stood there, stunned at the scene they were looking at. The entire room was colored in black and white; the only color came from Mystia, Scrubs and Starfire. The ground was covered with Deku Scrubs, but they were all white and frozen in place like plants. Their feet were rooted in the ground and some were twisted like small trees in weird positions.<p>

"Tree sap!" Scrubs shuddered. "What happened here?"

"Whoa," was all Mystia could say.

_ That man wasn't kidding!_ Oni stated. _Just like he said! Everything has lost its color. Dekus frozen in place. I know for certain that Majora isn't behind all this. There's a stronger force at work here._

_ I agree,_ Mystia thought. She walked up to one of the Dekus and rapped her knuckles on it. Solid wood.

"This is very creepy," said Scrubs. "All these Dekus look like they're staring at you. It's like they can come alive and attack you. I want to get out of here!"

"Yeah, me too, but we're only going to find more trouble when we leave here. That man said that it's happened all over Termina. There's no escaping this danger."

"Ah!" shouted the Deku.

Mystia turned at Scrubs' startling sound. She then noticed a small, furry, white monkey sitting on top of a frozen Deku that was standing at what looked like a throne. Then, out from behind the other frozen Dekus came five more monkeys. They all bounded toward them.

"What are those things?" Scrubs said, startled.

"They're just monkeys, Scrubs," Mystia replied with a sigh. "They mean no harm."

"Of course we mean no harm!" said one of the monkeys.

Mystia became stunned, _Did the monkey just talk?_

"Surprised, aren't ya?" it continued. "Didn't know that monkey's could talk, did you?"

"Uh...uh, no, no I didn't know," Mystia answered.

"It's a common mistake," the monkey said. "We get that a lot around here. Anyway, what brings your kind here in the Deku Palace?"

"Well, you see," Mystia began, "we were on our way to Hyrule to see the princess and the only way to get there is through Termina. We also needed to stop in Clock Town to get supplies."

"I don't think that's a good idea," the lead monkey said. "You won't be able to get any help from them, especially with all the people being possessed."

"Possessed?" Scrubs shouted. "Are they being possessed by demons?"

"I think so," the monkey answered. "The demons are solid white and have red eyes."

"White shadows," Mystia corrected. "You saw them too?"

"Oh yes," said the monkey. "We saw them alright, but the Dekus had no clue they were there."

"Mystia," Scrubs said, looking up at the deity. "How do you know that?"

"The man told me," the deity girl told the Deku. "Oni showed me the shadow on the mole's head with his Eyes of Truth. Without that vision, I can't even see them."

"Indeed," the monkey confirmed. "No one can see these things except us animals and white giants."

_White giants?_ Oni said offensively. _Ho_w _rude!_

"Did they do all of this?" asked Scrubs, nervously.

"Unfortunately," the monkey said, sadly.

"How?" the Deku asked.

"They entered into them," the animal replied. "After they did so, they became rooted to the ground and twisted into the forms you see now."

Scrubs shuddered at this. "I don't want that to happen to me. That looks horrible!"

_ Whatever happened to the 'fearless adventurer'?_ Oni asked smugly.

"Well, white shadow or not," Mystia boldly stated, "I need to get to Clock Town. I'll take them all down if I have to."

"You're going anyway?" the lead monkey said in surprise. "Okay, but I'm telling you this now. If you ever end up possessed, remember that you were warned." With that, the monkeys took off out of the palace.

_ Not even an offer of help?_ Oni scoffed. _How disrespectful!_

Mystia looked down at Scrubs, "Are you ready?"

Scrubs violently shook his head, "Uh, uh! No! I'm not ready!"

"What's wrong?" Mystia asked with concern. "Are you afraid?"

"I never said I...I never said I was afraid!" the Deku shook with embarrassment. "I just...need some more Deku nuts! Yeah! I must go prepare for the worst!"

The little Deku rushed off to look around the palace to try and spot some Deku nuts.

_ And he calls himself 'fearless'!_ Oni said sarcastically.

_ Will you cut it out? _Mystia said._  
><em>

* * *

><p>The Southern Swamp looked the same as the Deku Palace: all black and white. The sky still remained cloudy and dark. Mystia's glow shone brightly in the darkness as she and Scrubs made their way to Termina Field. They had found a five-person boat (tours must have had good business before Ashasti showed up) and they all climbed in to sail away on the swamp river. Starfire knelt down inside the boat and Mystia and Scrubs took the back seat. No sooner had they sat down, the boat took off, slowly, down the river.<p>

"I never liked floating on water," Scrubs said, sounding sickly. "It makes me queasy."

_ Tell him to keep it off of us! _Oni stated in disgust.

"Try leaning over the boat if you feel sick," Mystia said.

Scrubs did so. Then the sound of hacking was heard.

_ Oh! Gross! _Mystia cringed.

The sailing continued. They saw a dark tunnel up ahead that the boat was about to pass through.

_ Mystia, _Oni said. _I just realized something. You said that you had to go to Clock Town?_

_ Yes? _Mystia replied._  
><em>

_ I don't think we should go to Clock Town, _he replied, awkwardly.

Mystia raised an eyebrow, _And why not?_

_ Well, the monkeys and this 'Takaro' had said that Clock Town is a dangerous place now,_ Oni pointed out._ We can just skip it and head to Hyrule, right? There's no sense of stopping._

_ Okay, hold on!_ Mystia said to him._ What's your deal about Clock Town?_

_ Oh, nothing._ Oni said nonchalantly. _I was just thinking that we may not have to go there. That way, it saves time._

Mystia figured it out, _You're afraid to go there, aren't you?_

_ What? How dare you think that of me! _He said indignantly. _I'm not afraid of Clock Town! I'm just looking after you! After all, I am a part of you. I have to protect myself!_

_ You got that right, demon! _Mystia said with a huff._  
><em>

_ Enough with the demon thing already! _Oni exclaimed._  
><em>

_ And you _are _scared!_ Mystia said to him._ I think I would know by now if you were either scared or sarcastic! Why don't you want to go to Clock Town? _

_ It's...it's none of your business! _Oni told her._  
><em>

Mystia got really frustrated then. How dare he tell her 'it's none of her business' if he is able to get into her mind and invade her privacy! She was not going to let him off this time!

_If you think for one moment that you have every right to read my thoughts and feelings and I have none as far as you're concerned, think again!_ she said angrily._ Now, start talking!_

Oni was quiet for a moment. With a deep sigh, he spoke.

_ I'm...I'm not really popular in Termina right now. People there think I'm a demon, but I'm not! _

_ But,_ Mystia asked, _didn't the people praise you as the 'warrior god'?_

_ I hate being called that! _Oni snapped._ I'm not really a warrior god. I'm just as human as __everyone else. I...I had a lot of problems with communication. My brother and I were isolated as children, so all we had was each other. I practically raised him, even though I didn't treat him right all the time. I was even cruel to him sometimes._

Oni took a deep breath to compose himself, then continued, _We honored the gods because we had no one else to honor. Then, one god gave us these masks, which made us powerful. But as soon as Majora gained his power, he ditched me. He told me that he can take care of himself and that he didn't need me anymore. He left me alone. It wasn't until years later that he used his mask to torture people. It was apparently a custom for them, but Majora went too far. I had to find him and stop him. I went to war with my own brother. He became so powerful with his mask. I was forced to use mine in order to stop him. Then, with the help of the gods, I sealed him inside of his mask, thinking that it would end his chaos. The people buried it so no one else could find it._

_ Until the Happy Mask Salesman showed up and took it,_ Mystia asked.

_ Exactly! _He said, with a hint of annoyance. _Then a skull kid got a hold of it. He used him to cause terror in Termina. Once again, I went to find him, but this time he was waiting for me. He used his powers to trap me inside this mask. When I woke up, everything was dark. There was nothing. I screamed for help, but no one heard me. It was like that for a long time. One day, when I opened my eyes, I saw the world again, but instead it wasn't my own body._

_ The Hero of Time? _Mystia guessed._  
><em>

_ Yes, _Oni confirmed._ There before me was my evil brother. I couldn't move, but I could hear, think, see, and talk within his mind. I couldn't control him because of something that was preventing me from doing so. I wasn't sure what it was. Anyway, I decided to tell him how to defeat Majora. After he did, I felt Majora's powers fading away. I knew at that moment that he was dead._

_ And then, the mask was removed__,_ he said bitterly_.__ Darkness was back and I was alone once again. But because of my brother's lies, the people of Termina think _I'm _the enemy. All I ever wanted was to be human again. To be able to see, smell, feel, taste, and hear everything within my own body. I don't want to be left alone again. That's why when you showed up, I attached to you. I want to be free of my curse. I want... I want to be me again._

Silence filled her head. She never knew what kind of pain Oni had gone through as a child. He was just as lonely as she was when her home was destroyed by Ashasti. Guilt and sorrow crept into her heart. She treated him wrong. After all that he had been through and all that he did, he never was appreciated for who he was. He wasn't a demon. He wasn't a warrior god. He was a human, just like her.

_ Oni...I...I'm sorry, _Mystia apologized with pity._ I had no idea you went through all this. It must have been horrible. And I'm sorry for making it worse for you._

_ I don't need an apology from you for what happened to me! _He snapped.

Mystia bowed her head in shame. _I was only trying to help. _

Nothing was heard for a while except for Scrubs, who was still hacking into the water.

_ Then again, _Oni said, breaking the silence, _I accept your apology for being mean to me...and...and I'm sorry for treating you like a subject rather than a person. I know you have feelings and I know you care about people. You treat them with respect. I haven't been the most respectful person to you._

_ Or to Scrubs, _Mystia reminded the boy._  
><em>

_ What? He can't hear me. _Oni pointed out._  
><em>

_ So? _the girl said._  
><em>

He sighed in annoyance. _I guess I have been TOO hard on the little shrub, but that's not my point. The point is: I was wrong to you. I've always been a know-it-all, but I don't know a thing about people, how to communicate with them. For once, I just want to be free and go off to do my own thing. To get away from here and do what I want to do and not have to wait for the next person to come along and use my mask for an ornament or a weapon._

Mystia did think of Oni to be a know-it-all, but she never did consider that he had a big problem with being around people. He wanted to be free of the curse as much as she did. She then had an idea.

_ Let's make a deal, _she announced._  
><em>

_ What?_ Oni said in confusion.

_ A deal! _she said again_. Something people make so that both sides get what they want. If you help me get to Hyrule safely, then I promise to find a way to break your curse. _

_ ...You would do that? Why?_ Oni said confused._  
><em>

_ Because you deserve to be free as much as I do and I want to do everything to help set you free,_ Mystia told him._  
><em>

_ And what about Clock Town? _Oni asked._  
><em>

_ I'll deal with the people in Clock Town,_ the girl assured him_. It's me they're seeing, not you. I can handle the crowd. What do you say?_

She assumed that Oni was considering the thought. It took a while before Oni finally spoke up.

_ Alright,_ he finally replied, _it's a deal._

* * *

><p>After the river boat ride and a long track through the black and white woods, they finally reached Termina Field. Far in the distance, in the same themed colors as the swamp, was Clock Town.<p>

"Almost there," Mystia stated.

"That's Clock Town?" Scrubs inquired with a cock of his head. "It doesn't look like much."

"That may be, Scrubs," Mystia said, "but that's definitely Clock Town alright. Let's go!"

She hopped onto Starfire, gave the command, and the horse galloped all the way to Clock Town's South entrance. She leaped down from her horse, taking Scrubs down with her. She looked at Starfire, patting her on the neck, and then proceeded to walk into Clock Town.

The first thing she saw was a giant, ticking clock. The wheels of the clock were going unusually fast. She then looked around and noticed the people. They were all black and white as well. They were shaking as they walked and had manic looks on their faces. She decided to approach one of them. She chose a plump lady with a bun, holding a fish bowl.

"Um, excuse me-"

The woman turned around to look at her. Mystia gasped. Her eyes were a solid red! _She's possessed! Just like Takaro said!_

_ "_Oh!" the woman said with a shiver. "An outsider! A... a pleasure... to meet...you... DOYOULIKEMYFISH!"

Mystia took a step back in shock when the woman shoved the fish bowl into her face. She looked inside to find a fish inside, but with unusual patterns.

"Ilovemyfish!" she said with a crazed tone in her voice. "It'saprettyfish! Doyoulikefish,too? Iknowyoudo! Fisharesocute! Youshouldgetapetfish!"

She calmed down, but kept a wide eyed expression and her head cocked to the side with a creepy smile crossing her face as she started petting the fish bowl. "Niiiice fishiiiiieeeee."

_ Okaaayyy! _Oni said, disturbed. _That's enough for me for one day!_

"Mystia," Scrubs shivered. "She's scaring me!"

"Yeah, me, too," she replied, perturbed by what she was looking at. "Come on."

She and Scrubs turned and walked away from the woman, who still continued to pet the bowl. Mystia looked around, seeing the other people acting similar to the woman. She had a sick feeling about all this.

_ Mystia, wait!_ Oni shouted. _Look at the stairs!_

Her vision changed to the shade of red and violet. She glanced at the stairs to her left and spotted a white shadow. It was looking around when it noticed Mystia. It quickly turned around and took off up the stairs.

_ We need to find out what it's up to! _Mystia stated.

_ I couldn't agree more! _Oni replied.

"Let's go, Scrubs!" the deity girl declared.

She picked up the Deku and ran towards the stairs, passing by a random giant boulder. She found herself in East Clock Town, where more people were gathered around in the same manner as the ones in South Clock Town. She had lost the white shadow in the crowd, but she did spot something else. There was a color.

_ Oni, change my vision back! _Mystia instructed him._  
><em>

He did so. She then realized what the color was: yellow. It was standing by the stairs, its back towards her. It then spun around to reveal...

"Ashasti!" she quietly exclaimed.

The crowd slowly separated as Ashasti looked and saw her and Scrubs nearby. He gave a crooked smirk.

"Well, well, well," he said, mischievously. "What do we have here? A mysterious deity..." he looked down at Scrubs with an even bigger smile, "...and a shrub."

"SHRUB!" Scrubs exclaimed, leaping down from Mystia's arms. "I am NOT a shrub, you creep!"

He charged after Ashasti, but Mystia was faster. She caught him by his leaf sash and pulled him back.

"Let me at 'em! Let me at 'em!" the Deku growled.

"Not now, Scrubs!" she mumbled to him.

Ashasti laughed with amusement. "A little Deku and a deity traveling together! How charming! So, deity, I'm sure you have a name for yourself."

"Oni Mystia," she replied with anger. "You must be Ashasti!"

"Well, I'm glad someone _finally_ recognizes that," the warlock said, "but enough with introductions. What brings you here to Clock Town?"

"I could ask the same for you," she replied, glaring at him.

"My business here is personal," Ashasti replied. "You see, I'm looking for someone important: a girl named Melody."

"Melody?" Scrubs cocked his head in a questioning look. "I've never heard of her before."

"Why is she so important to you?" she asked, getting angrier and becoming a little bit nervous. "What's so special about this 'Melody' that you're so desperate to find?"

"She has something that the king wants," Ashasti replied as he scratched at his scar. "A sacred power lies within her. If I obtain it, the king will then become unstoppable."

Ashasti shook his head. "But alas, I've been searching for her for the past seventeen years, and I still cannot find her. I can't exactly go back to the king empty-handed, now can I? He would be very disappointed."

He then chuckled deviously, "But I will find her eventually. Then, the king will rule the world, and no one will be able to stop him."

"So you destroyed our homes just because of some girl?" Scrubs shook in anger. "A Hylian, I would assume! My home had nothing to do with her! This 'king' of yours doesn't sound like the king of Hyrule at all!"

"Oh, what innocence this shrub has!" Ashasti sarcastically stated. "Such stupidity!"

That made Scrubs dash at him again, but Mystia kept him back.

"Scrubs is right," Mystia said. "Why would the king allow you to destroy villages and towns just to find someone? Who is this 'king' of yours?"

"Why, you don't know?" Ashasti implied playfully. "I would have assumed you would know by now who the king is. He's the most powerful man in the world. Unlike the former king of Hyrule, he has something that makes him omnipotent. Even if you are a deity warrior, you would be not match for the King of Evil."

_ The King of Evil?_ Mystia thought. _Where have I heard that before? Why does it sound so..._

_ Mystia!_ Oni exclaimed again. _The white shadow! It's grown!_

Her vision changed again and right before her was the white shadow, only bigger, bulkier, and scarier.

"So, knowing what the king is capable of doing to someone like you, I'm going to put you at ease by doing you a favor," Ashasti stated while holding his fingers up in a snapping position.

_ Mystia!_ Oni spoke out._ He might do the same to you that he did to these people!_

_ Not if I can do anything about it! _Mystia said with determination._  
><em>

Mystia looked down at Scrubs.

"Scrubs," Mystia whispered. "When I tell you to duck, do it and stay down. Got it?"

"Okay?" he replied, confused.

Ashasti snapped his fingers.

The white shadow monster attacked.

"DUCK!" the girl shouted.

Mystia and Scrubs both got down on the ground as the white shadow swooped right over them. She got back up and pulled out her weapon. She had just noticed that, all around her, the people of the town had gathered, closing her and Scrubs' way out of East Clock Town. The white shadow turned and screeched with a piercing cry.

"How..." she heard Ashasti behind her say with amazement. "How is that possible? How can you see them?"

"Is this what you call 'magic'?" Mystia asked with a grin. "Some 'warlock' you are!"

The shadow charged again. This time, Mystia brandished her sword and gave it a swing. The sparks hit the monster's arm, making it fall off.

_ This is going to be way too easy,_ Mystia thought. _I'm going to beat this thing in no..._

She stopped, her eyes wide in fear. The monster had grown back its arm in a second. It looked at her in anger.

_ ...Oni? _Mystia said with worry._  
><em>

_ Okay,_ he said with contained surprise. _This is a problem!_

The shadow swooped toward her again and Mystia didn't take any chances and ducked out of its way.

_ You better have a good idea in three seconds! _Mystia said to him quickly._  
><em>

_ Give me a moment! I'm thinking!_ Oni exclaimed._  
><em>

The monster turned again.

"Come on, you stupid shadow!" Ashasti yelled with frustration. "Just do it already! She's just a kid!"

_ Oni! _Mystia shouted._  
><em>

_ Hold on! _Oni yelled back._  
><em>

The shadow began to swoop down again, but was stopped by something hitting it in the face. It didn't move.

"Oops! Wrong way," Mystia heard Scrubs say. "I meant to hit the warlock!"

_ I got it!_ Oni shouted.

_ What? Throw Deku nuts at it for hours?_ Mystia said sarcastically._ That sounds promising!_

_ No! My whirlwind attack!_ Oni told her._ It will cause a twister of wind and white energy to form and it would be large enough to consume the creature all at once. It's the only way!_

_ Tell me how to do it! _Mystia demanded._  
><em>

The monster shook itself out of its stupor and looked down at Mystia. She placed the sword across her chest, and then swung it out as she started to spin. She spun faster and faster until a huge whirlwind started to build up, with sparks flying inside of it. It kept growing until it was almost as big as the white shadow. Then, Mystia leaped backwards out from the middle of it and hit it with her sword.

It headed straight for the shadow.

The shadow made a sound as if to say 'Uh oh!' before it was impacted by the whirlwind of sparks, causing it to explode into tiny pieces. The shadow was no more.

"Uuuhhhhnnnn..." Mystia groaned, holding her head as a wave of dizziness washed over her.

_ Sorry, _Oni said apologetically. _I forgot to mention that it causes dizziness and nausea._

_ Thank you...for letting me know ahead of time,_ the girl moaned._  
><em>

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" a voice shouted.

Mystia spun around and saw Ashasti's face, red with fury.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" He screamed in anger. "You...little...BRAT! You ruined everything! You will one day suffer my wrath!" He looked at her with fire in his eyes. "You will pay in blood for what you have done! Just you wait! You will feel endless pain in your torment!"

He snapped his fingers. The white shadows in the people sprung from them, gathered around Ashasti and lifted him up.

"FEAR ME!" the scarred man declared. "For I am Ashasti the Terrifying! Know it and fear it!"

Then, the white shadows carried him off into the sky.

Then, for the first time since Meladon, the sky cleared and she saw and felt the sun hit her pale face. She felt the cold, north wind blow, making her shiver slightly.

_ What a freak!_ Oni said in disgust. _He's no warlock! He's just a crazy man that controls white shadows!_

_ I can bet you anything that he wasn't the one who killed my family and caused those fires, _Mystia said with the same disgust._ The white shadows are doing all the dirty work for him!_

She began to hear moans from the people around her. She asked Oni to change her vision back to normal and looked around. The colors had returned and all of the townspeople were on their hands and knees as if they had been worn out.

"Mystia," she heard Scrubs say. She looked down to see Scrubs on his feet already. "I don't know what you did, but you did it! The town is saved!"

"Aiiee!" she heard someone squeal.

She spun around to see the plump woman with a longish fish creature sitting right on top of her. Water and pieces of glass were lying around them.

_ Did not see that one coming!_ She said.

_ That is a Zora,_ Oni explained. _They are peaceful water creatures that live in the oceans or lakes, but also can walk on land._

"Aiiee!" shouted another squeal.

She turned another direction to see a female with short white hair and blue eyes, staring and pointing right at her.

"It's the demon warrior god!" she exclaimed.

_ Great! See? _Oni said frustrated._ This is what I was afraid of. This is why I didn't want to come here!_

The people backed up in fear.

"Hold on, goro!" declared a voice.

Mystia turned again to see a giant rock creature. It had tattoos on its upper, muscular arms, a round belly, and a head shaped like a rounded triangle. Its solid black eyes looked equally at her. Its hair was longish, being held up in spikes by an unknown force.

_ Oni, what is that? _Mystia asked._  
><em>

_ A Goron._ _Rock-eating creatures that live mostly in mountains, standing up to temperatures over a thousand degrees._

The Goron took a couple steps forward towards the center of the square with its feet causing vibrations on the ground.

"You don't know this, everyone," the Goron continued in a deep voice, "but I've witnessed everything that has happened here. She is of no harm to us."

"You did?" Mystia asked in confusion. "How? I didn't even see you among the crowd."

"I was the boulder in the corner over there," he pointed behind him, toward the stairs that Mystia walked up previously. "Anyway, this person is not our enemy. She saved this town from the warlock."

_ He's not a warlock!_ Oni said factually. He sounded annoyed when he said it.

"Darmani's right." agreed a voice.

Mystia spotted the same Zora, now standing and approaching the center next to the Goron. It had what looked like tattoos all over its slender, blue body and its arms and legs had fins attached to them. The top of its head flowed into a windsock shape, similar to the white cap Mystia wore. Its eyes were a solid black as well.

"I was stuck in a fish bowl and saw everything, too," it said with a trill in its voice. "This person saved us all. If it weren't for her, all of us wouldn't have a clear mind."

"Well spoken, Mikau!" Darmani declared.

"But that's the warrior god!" the female stated. "He nearly destroyed this town many years ago!"

"Wait! Hold on!" Mystia replied with annoyance. "Oni has never hurt anyone in his life!"

_ Except for my evil brother,_ Oni said factually.

"Wasn't it Oni who saved you from Majora's wrath?" Mystia asked them. "Wasn't it he who sealed Majora into his own mask? He is the same warrior god you claim. He was framed for what his brother did to this town. He was tricked and trapped within the mask I wear now. I don't think it's fair to treat Oni like a criminal when he did nothing wrong. He's really the hero! Give him some credit!"

"Why are you defending this demon?" a man among the crowd asked.

"First of all, he's not a demon!" Mystia told the people. "Second of all, I speak on his behalf because I've heard his story. It's about time someone else heard it, too. He's as human as the rest of us here. Just like me, he was cursed. All he wants is to be free. Don't you understand? He's innocent!"

The people just stared in amazement.

"I believe it," an old voice spoke.

The people parted at the voice and a man with short, white hair and violet eyes walked through the crowd. He had slight wrinkles and wore a thin, white mustache.

"I know what it was like to be cursed," the middle-aged man spoke. "Majora himself was the one who turned me into a child. If it weren't for that boy who showed up here years ago, I would still be that kid today."

He looked at Mystia with kind eyes and said, "I believe that this girl states the truth. After all, if she hadn't shown up, then, as Mikau said, we would still be under the control of that warlock. Who agrees with me?"

The Goron and the Zora stepped forward as if to say 'I agree'. The people didn't move, still stunned by Mystia. Then, the plump lady with the bun stepped forward and after her was the woman who accused her. Finally, one by one, all the townspeople stepped forward.

_ See, Oni?_ Mystia thought to him. _What did I tell you?_

_ Thank you, _Oni said calmly.

_ For what?_ _Defending you?_ Mystia asked._  
><em>

_ No. For telling the truth,_ Oni replied._ It...it means a lot to me. Thank you._

Mystia smiled inside and out. Then she noticed the white-haired man approach her and extending his hand to her. She looked down at Scrubs, who was clutching her leg. He looked up at her and nodded, his eyes smiling. She looked back at the man and took his hand, giving it a greeting shake.

"Welcome to Clock Town," the man said to her. "I am Mayor Kafei. What do you call yourself?"

"Mystia," she replied. "Oni Mystia, at your service."

* * *

><p>Roecliff: O.O HOLD UP! Aren't Darmani and Mikau dead?<p>

Izzy: HA! The plot thickens!

Oni: That was a very touching chapter...kind of...

Izzy: At last, she has made it to Clock Town, only to fight her great nemesis, Ashasti, and his evil white shadow! HAHAHA! Mystia finally defeats the monster and has officially cleared Oni's name. What will happen next? The next chapter will come soon!

Roecliff: That is, until she finishes it.

Izzy: Never rush a good story! You'll get rotten stories!

Roecliff: *sigh* Please review.


	9. Then There Were Four

Izzy: HEY EVERYONE!

Roecliff: So, are the dead guys explained in this chapter?

Izzy: I guess you'll have to find out. Summary time! Ashasti the warlock had struck Clock Town.

Oni: NOT A WARLOCK!

Izzy: I know! I just wanted to see your reaction! ^-^

Oni (T_T)

Izzy: Anyway, the WHITE SHADOWS had caused more problems, but Mystia totally kicked their butts! HA! Along with that, Mystia had finally cleared Oni's name.

Oni: About time!

Izzy: So what happens next?

Everyone: LET'S FIND OUT!

Izzy: O.o Is there an echo in here?

Disclaimer: Shigeru Miyamoto will give me all of his rights to the Zelda games! *does Jedi hand movement* Heeheehee...

* * *

><p><em>"Melody!"<em>

_She glanced around the rocky terrain. The sound of her mother's voice rang out._

_"Melody!_ _Where are you?"_

_"I'm here! I'm here, mother!" She ran across the terrain and found herself near a canyon. On the other side, she saw Sonya, her mother._

_"Mother!_ _Over here!" she shouted, waving her arms in the air._

_"Melody!"_ _Sonya yelled back. "Listen to me carefully! Go to the top of the Clock Tower and play the song of the giants! They will know how to break your curse!"_

_"Song of the giants?"_ _Melody cried out. "What is it?"_

_"You have to hurry, Melody!" said another voice.  
><em>

_She saw a new figure materialize next to Sonya. The figure was a man, one she knew very well: Garen._

_"FATHER!" Melody shouted.  
><em>

_"Hurry!" Garen demanded._ "_Before its too late! There's danger following you! You must...AAAAAAUUUUGGHHH!"_

_Melody screamed in horror as she saw two blades penetrating both Sonya's and Garen's chests. The blades were removed and, as they fell, revealed Ashasti. His scarred lips shaped into that crooked, manic smile._

_"ASHASTI, YOU FREAK!" Melody screamed at him in anger and bitterness. "MAY THE GODDESSES CURSE YOU! CURSE YOU!"_

_Ashasti only laughed maniacally. Flames spewed from the ground he was standing on. _

_The sky turned blood red and up from the flames appeared a black shadow, getting larger and larger. Ashasti and his laughter faded from the sound of the flames and heavy breathing from the shadow. It then spun around and Melody gasped. Its face resembled a boar with huge, white tusks, a snout, and a wild red mane that looked more like fire. It stood on its hind legs and its paws appeared more like giant hands with claws._

_ Its eyes...its horrid eyes a piercing red, stared at her in anger._

_ It raised its paw to strike her. She caught a glimpse of a slight glow on the back of its hand before it came down on top of her..._

Mystia sat up suddenly, a feeling of terror running through her in the wake of her nightmare. Sweat poured from her forehead and she was panting as she tried to catch her breath. She looked around to find herself in a small room with two beds and a fireplace. Her white tunic was lying on a chair by a desk in a corner away from her. She felt herself reflexively to see if she had gotten hurt in any way. All she felt was the white undergarment gown and her skin. She leaned back against the wall and breathed some more.

_Mystia_, she heard Oni say with concern. _Are you okay? _

_I saw my mother!_ Mystia replied, still recovering from her terror. _My father..._

_I know,_ Oni informed her._ I saw it all. I'm just making sure you're okay._

Mystia felt tears well up in her eyes. _It was horrid! Horrid! It's not fair! Why did they have to die! Why!_

Mystia pulled her legs up to her and put her head in them. She tried to stifle a cry and her long, white hair fell around her pale, wet face.

"Mystia?" she heard a voice squeak.

She raised her head up and laid her eyes on a little Deku Scrub, looking at her with its sad, yellow eyes. He was standing next to her bed.

"Oh, Scrubs," Mystia said wiping the tears away and tucking her hair behind her elf-like ears. "I didn't know you were up. Did I wake you?"

"No," he replied, hopping onto her bed. "I was already awake. Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," Mystia choked, trying her best not to cry in front of him. "It was just a nightmare."

_It's not just a nightmare,_ Oni clearly stated. _You were clearly scared to death!_

_I'll be fine! _Mystia snapped._  
><em>

Mystia watched as Scrubs placed a stubby arm on her pale hand.

"I heard that nightmares are a good thing," Scrubs stated.

Mystia looked at Scrubs, a look of confusion on her face.

"A nightmare sometimes reminds us what's important to us," Scrubs clarified. "They may be scary, but they show us what goes through our hearts and our minds. I'm sure whatever it is you dreamed about was something of great importance."

Mystia sat on the bed, quietly. Her tears were still running from her white, pupil less eyes. In a way, Scrubs could be right. She had been thinking about her family during quiet moments and in some conversations. What got her was the beast. She couldn't make sense of it. Why was it attacking her? Why were those horrid eyes staring at her in fury?

She gave a sniff and wiped away more tears.

"You're right, Scrubs," she finally said. "I have a lot on my mind."

"What was the dream about?" Scrubs asked.

She didn't even want to remember the details, and she certainly didn't want to talk about them. She just couldn't tell Scrubs that she saw the blood of her loved ones on Ashasti's blades and of the dark beast that tried to kill her.

"I saw my mother," Mystia told him. "She...was trying to tell me something. Something about going to the Clock Tower and playing the song of the giants."

"Giants? A song?" Scrubs said, sounding excited. "Wait! I heard a Deku salesman tell me about the four giants of legend. They live in four different areas of Termina. Maybe they were the same ones."

"Perhaps," Mystia said as she wiped away another tear, "but what about the song?"

"The song?" the Deku asked and thought for a moment. "I don't know, but maybe the Mayor knows. We can go ask him!"

_Uh...Are you sure that the Deku knows what he's doing?_ Oni cringed. _I mean, he can't even tell the difference between a nut and a Deku Hornet's nest._

_Why do I have a feeling that you don't want me to find out something? _Mystia asked curiously._ Does it have to do with the possibility of me being free of this mask?_

_No! Of course not! _Oni defended._ Why would you think that?_

_I thought so,_ the girl said._ Come on! Maybe the giants know a way to break your curse. We can ask them. _

_Well... _Oni began._  
><em>

_I made a promise, Oni, that I would help you get free_, Mystia reminded._ I keep my promises in the same manner that I protect my life. You have to trust me._

_I...guess..._ the boy said reluctantly_. I just don't like this..._

"Come on, Scrubs!" Mystia said, hopping out of bed and grabbing her tunic. "Let's go see if the Mayor can get us into that tower and find out if he knows the song."

* * *

><p>"What do you mean we can't?" Mystia exclaimed.<p>

Mystia and Scrubs were in Mayor Kafei's office. The mayor was seated in a red-cushioned chair at his desk while Scrubs sat in one of the other chairs, and Mystia stood at the front of his desk with her hands leaning on it. She gave the mayor a stern look. She was trying to find out why the mayor wouldn't let her go to the tower willingly, but the mayor only looked at Mystia and shook his head.

"I mean, it's impossible," the mayor informed her. "The tower opens only once a year during the carnival."

"Please, mayor!" Mystia begged. "Can't we just break tradition for just a few minutes? It's really important!"

"What's so important that you're desperate to get into the tower?" Kafei asked.

"I...I had this dream last night," Mystia told him. "My mother told me there was a way to break the curse, but I have to go to the Clock Tower and play the song of the giants."

"The song of the giants?" the man said as he looked at her with interest. "The Four Giants of legend?"

"I think so," Mystia said. "It makes sense."

Mayor Kafei stood up and walked around his desk to approach Mystia.

"You know that the Four Giants are just a legend," he told the gilr. "It's possible that they don't exist."

"Perhaps," Mystia agreed partially, "but it's possible that they do exist and they might have an idea of how to break the curse."

Kafei was silent for a moment as he gazed upon the white deity girl who appeared anxious.

"Even if the giants existed, they probably won't see just anybody," he mentioned, "...but, if you feel it's necessary, I am willing to grant your request."

"Oh, thank you, sir!" Mystia said gratefully. "I appreciate it."

"But before you do," the mayor interrupted, "you need to know the song to call the giants."

He walked over to one of the bookshelves and rummaged through them. After a few seconds, he pulled out an old, red book, dusted it off, and brought it over to the desk. He flipped through it, glancing at the worn, yellow-tinted pages.

"Here it is: Oath to Order," he said as he pointed to one of the pages.

Mystia looked over his shoulder and saw that he was pointing at a score sheet with only six notes written on it.

"When you play this song," the mayor continued, "it will summon the giants to come to the Clock Tower. You need to learn this before you go."

_That doesn't look so hard,_ Oni commented.

_You're not the one playing it,_ Mystia replied.

She pulled out her white ocarina that she kept stashed next to her. She brought it up to her lips and, after fumbling with it, began to play. It made a soothing sound as the song echoed from the wind instrument. She finished playing and felt a strange sensation. She looked at her ocarina and noticed a glow.

_That's different,_ she thought, staring at the ocarina with curiosity.

"Ooooooooo," Scrubs admired.

"There," Kafei confirmed. "Now you know Oath to Order."

He picked up a pen and began to scribble on a blank sheet of paper off his desk.

"I shall give a report to Captain Viscen about the situation," he told her. "That way there won't be any problems."

He placed the pen back down after he finished writing, folded the paper, and handed it to her. "Make sure he's the one that gets it. The other guards won't be as responsive."

Mystia took the letter, then took his hand and shook it.

"Thank you again, sir," Mystia told him again. "I will try to be out as quick as possible."

* * *

><p>Mystia and Scrubs were standing outside of the Clock Tower. All around them, fresh snow fell upon the town, turning the world white. They had just realized how massive it really was. Mystia still noticed the clock rotating unusually fast. The frosty wind caused her to shiver.<p>

"That...is...huge," Scrubs informed. "So, how do we get up there?"

"A very good..."

Suddenly, the clock started rising. The two travelers watched in awe as the clock rose from its perch. As soon as it hit the top, it fell backwards on its side. Then, Mystia heard a thumping sound and glanced down to see a set of stairs form on a ledge slightly above them.

"...Oh," Scrubs said in realization. "That's how."

"What is the meaning of this!" shouted a voice.

Mystia turned to see a plump man in a white shirt and blue vest, running towards them. His thick, white mustache lapped over his top lip, which was opened in a scowl.

"What are you doing?" the man said angrily. "This is breaking tradition!"

A guard standing near the clock approached the mustached man.

"Calm down, Mutoh," the guard told him calmly. "We were given orders from the mayor to do this."

"For what cause?" Mutoh growled. "No one is allowed on that tower until the carnival."

The guard pointed towards Mystia.

"According to the mayor, the Oni wants to go on the tower," he informed the man.

Mutoh glared at her.

"Since when does anyone, deity or not, get to go on top of the Clock Tower?" he fumed. "This is absurd! I'm going to have a word with the mayor about this."

The man stormed off towards the east.

The guard turned his attention to Mystia.

"You better hurry with this," he said to her sternly. "You're going to make a lot of people mad if they see all this."

"Don't worry, Captain," Mystia assured him. "I'll be finished here before you know it."

Mystia grabbed Scrubs and, with one leap, grabbed the ledge above her and pulled herself up. The Deku hopped to the ledge, and both of them went up the stairs. Soon, they found themselves up on top of the tower.

* * *

><p>Once Mystia found the center of the tower, she closed her eyes and pulled out her ocarina. She began to play the music right on key as if she had known it for years. The music echoed in the freezing cold air and flowed with the north wind that blew across the bluish-gray sky. She even heard Oni slightly humming to the sweet melody. When she finished, she brought the instrument down from her lips and placed it back on her side.<p>

"So..." Scrubs began. "...Now what?"

Suddenly, the earth shook violently, causing Mystia and Scrubs to fall onto the floor that was the clock's face. When the shaking ceased, they heard a sound of a deep horn, similar to the Goron they had met the other day. Mystia stood up to see a giant. It was an orange-red and had humongous, long legs and arms. Its body looked like it was just a head with a greenish beard, beady eyes, a rounded nose, and a mouth. He was approaching from the north slowly. With each step, it shook the ground like a rumble than an earthquake.

She looked around to find three more in the same manner coming from the east, west, and south. She felt Scrubs cling to her leg and tremble in fear.

_I know the old language of the giants,_ Oni informed. _I will be able to give you the ability to understand them to make it easier for translation._

The giants made it to the Clock Tower and stood before them.

"Greetings, young warrior," said the north giant in a deep, deep voice that sounded like thunder. "You have called us and we are now here. What is it that you want from us?"

Mystia looked down at Scrubs, patting him on the head to let him know it was okay. He let go and Mystia took a step forward.

"Great Giants of Termina," she yelled, her voice echoing into the sky. "I come to you about a curse."

"Ah," replied the giant. "A curse is indeed upon you. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to break your curse."

"Perhaps not, but in the dream I had, I was told that you would know a way for it to be broken upon me," Mystia told them. "Is that true?"

The north giant nodded. "Indeed, there is a way. However, I also suspect that there is another who is cursed."

"Yes," Mystia confirmed. "His name is Oni. He was cursed by his brother, Majora, many years ago. He's been trapped in this mask for a very long time."

"We know this Oni and what his curse is," the west giant said. "We also know that it is he who hides your true identity. There is a way for his curse to be broken as well."

_There is?_ Oni exclaimed in excitement and anxiety. _There's a way for me to be free? How? How? Tell me!_

"How can we free him?" Mystia asked with a bit of curiosity herself.

"The curse that is upon the both of you," the south giant responded, "is a curse of black magic. There is only one object that can destroy the evil and darkness that surrounds you."

"It lies to the north in Hyrule," the east giant spoke. "It has been used once by the hero of legend himself. It is known as the Blade Evil's Bane: the Master Sword."

"Just touching the blade will cause the sword to react to the black magic," continued the west giant. "It will destroy that evil in the mask, thus freeing both of you from the curse of Majora."

_The sword of evil's bane?_ Oni asked in inquiry. _I've never heard of such a weapon._

_I've heard about it,_ Mystia said,_ but only in stories. I didn't even know it existed._

_But it's in Hyrule, _Oni pointed out_, which is exactly where we wanted to go in the first place. That's convenient!_

"Thank you, great giants!" Mystia called out. "This has been of great help!"

"There is something you should know," the north giant interrupted. "Hyrule has now become a dangerous place. You will face even greater trials than Ashasti, the warlock."

_He's not a warlock!_ Oni said, frustrated.

"There is an even darker, stronger power at work here," the north giant continued. "Beware of the one called the 'King of Evil'."

_There's that name again!_ Mystia thought. _Who is the King of Evil?_

"His sorcery is real and dangerous," the north giant went on. "He has a sacred object that makes him powerful. He is one you should avoid at all costs. A terrible fate could fall upon you if you cross paths with him. Do your best not to face him. Now we must go. Good luck, warrior."

With that, the four giants turned around and went their way through the quiet, falling snow. Mystia watched as each one slowly disappeared into the glare of the golden sun.

* * *

><p>Izzy: YAY!<p>

Oni: THERE IS A WAY!

Scrubs: NOOOOOOOOOOO!

Roecliff: Oh, boy! Wait! You never explained about the dead guys!

Izzy: YAY! Mystia and Oni had just discovered a way to break BOTH of their curses! It's so beautiful!

Oni: YES! At last, I'll be free!

Scrubs: NOOOOOOOOOOO!

Izzy: So, when do they return to their quest to Hyrule?

Everyone: FIND OUT NEXT CHAPTER!

Izzy: Am I really that repetitive?

Everyone: YES!

Izzy: T-T Please review...


	10. Inside the Milk Bar

Izzy: I'm back! ^-^

Oni: It's about time! You take too long!

Scrubs: Yeah! I want to know what happens!

Izzy: People! So anxious! Give me a break here! *sigh* Summary time! Mystia had met the giants who told her about a way to break the curse. What does she plan on doing next? Let's find out!

Oni: Let's get on with it already!

Izzy: ONI! OH MY GOSH! DON'T MAKE ME HURT YOU!

Roecliff: *looking out to audience* Read quickly before it get's out of hand...

Disclaimer: Is it REALLY necessary to tell people that I don't own anything Zelda? GEE!

* * *

><p>"The giants are real! They do exist!"<p>

"I didn't even know that was possible. I've only heard it in stories and songs!"

There was a lot of commotion in the Milk Bar than ever before. People had gathered around to talk about that day's greatest event: the Giants of Termina came to Clock Town. The bartender was trying to make sure that he was caught up on orders and cleanup before he had the chance to join in the conversations. In the background, a band of seven Zoras were playing music on stage.

In a corner sat Mystia, Scrubs and Mayor Kafei. They had congregated at a small table, drinking Chateau Romani (apparently a specialty in Clock Town. Kafei was treating them).

"I just can't believe it!" Mayor Kafei said with awestruck wonder. "They really do exist! I thought it was just a myth until today. Tell me! What did they say? What did you find out?"

"They said that there was a way for the curses on me and Oni to be broken," Mystia reiterated. "We have to get to Hyrule to do it, though."

"Why Hyrule?" the mayor asked.

"That's where the sword of evil's bane is," Mystia informed him. "It's the only way to break the curse."

"It seems strange that a weapon can break a magical curse," Kafei commented thoughtfully.

"I thought the same thing," said the girl, "but if the giants say it's possible, then I'm going to take their word for it."

The sound of gulping was heard as Scrubs downed the last of his bottle of Chateau.

"So," the Deku said drowsily, "what comes next?"

"I think," said Mystia, "that we should head for Snowpeak Mountain. We can get to Hyrule from there."

"I wouldn't suggest that," Kafei informed. "At this time of year, the snow gets really bad and dangerous in the mountains. Crossing through it is a hazard right now."

"That's something I haven't understood," Mystia said in thought. "I've noticed that it's been snowing. Isn't it still autumn?"

"No, it isn't autumn," Kafei corrected. "Winter has already set here. It's been a month since then."

"But how does _that_ make sense!" Mystia exclaimed calmly. "I've been traveling for a week to get here!"

_On the contrary,_ Oni invaded, _it's actually been three weeks, six days, seven hours, and forty-five minutes...no, forty-six._

_Over three weeks? _Mystia thougth._ Oh, Din! That's just great! That explains my exhaustion over the past few days! I'm surprised that I didn't even pass out on the way here!_

_Adrenalin will do that to you, _Oni said factually._  
><em>

_But how is that possible?_ Mystia asked._ I couldn't have lost that much time!_

_For one thing, the dark clouds aren't helping much, _the deity boy told her_. It could also explain why you had been sleeping for two days._

_Two days...you keep track?_ Mystia said curiously._  
><em>

_It keeps me busy, _Oni said._  
><em>

"Mystia, are you alright?" Kafei asked in concern.

Mystia snapped away from her conversation with Oni and looked upon the white haired man, his violet eyes held a look of confusion.

"Sorry?" Mystia said.

"I asked if you were alright," Kafei repeated.

"Oh, yes!" the girl replied. "...Well, kind of. I was just talking to Oni, who happens to keep track of time and has brought to my attention on how long the days had really been."

"The musi' is *hick* really nice," said a very sluggish Scrubs. He shoved his jar towards Kafei. "Can I ha'e mora?"

"I think you had enough for one day," Kafei told him. "One jar was too much for a little guy like you."

"Too li'l?" He exclaimed while thrusting his stubby hand in the air, almost falling over. "*Hick*I can handle anythin'! And it's soooooo tasty! Anotha one wone hur me!"

"Can you really get tipsy off of milk?" Mystia asked Kafei, confused at the situation.

"This milk has a special ingredient put in it for flavor and energy," Kafei confirmed. "Unfortunately for some, it has a minor...side affect."

"MIIIILLLLLLKKKKKK!" they heard a man at the bar groan. "IT'S MIIIILLLLLLKKKK! GIVE ME MORE MILLLLKKKK!"

Scrubs hiccuped.

"I see," Mystia replied in disturbance, then looked over at Scrubs and said, "I agree with the mayor. You should take it easy."

"Take it greasy?" Scrubs responded with a curious look. "Why woul I *hick* wan it to be greasy? It's fine the way...it..."

Then, Scrubs fell on his face and began to snore and squeak.

"Wow," Mystia declared. "That must be some strong stuff for a Deku."

"Anju," Kafei called out.

The woman with white hair and blue eyes walked over to them. She gave him a smile of joy as she approached.

"Yes, my love?" she said.

"Could you do me a favor and take the Deku to his hotel room?" asked Kafei. "He needs some rest."

"Be glad to," Anju replied.

She picked up Scrubs and carried him off toward the door of the bar.

_A drunk Deku! _Mystia heard Oni laughing. _Now __that__ is funny! You don't get to see that everyday!_

"That is something you don't see everyday," said a deep voice.

Mystia glanced up to see Darmani, the Goron, standing by their table. His bulky hands were on his hips as he looked at them with a smile.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked.

"By all means, please," the Mayor replied.

The Goron sat down in one of the bigger chairs and leaned onto the table. His weight made the wooden table creak.

"So, goro, what are we talking about here?" Darmani asked.

"We were just discussing about the times going by so quickly," Mystia said as she looked at the mayor in remembrance. "Oni just told me that it's been over three weeks now since I left my hometown, which is only a week and a half away."

"Time is hard to track nowadays," Kafei mentioned. "Ever since the warlock showed up two weeks ago, time seemed to have sped up. It's either the world shrunk or there's a darker power causing it."

"I have noticed twice that the clock was moving faster than normal," Mystia pointed out. "Maybe the white shadows have something to do with this. They like to change things at a rapid pace. Maybe they even sped up time and seasons as well."

"Possible, but how long will that last?" the mayor asked. "The people of Clock Town are very particular about time and having it thrown off course might cause problems."

"Yes, goro," Darmani agreed. "If the seasons keep changing this quickly, we could have a problem with food and businesses. We would have to leave town and find another area."

"I don't think that would work, either," said a voice behind them.

They glanced over to Mikau, who was just pulling up a chair and sitting down with the group.

"If I am correct, the white shadows, as you called them, have been terrorizing the whole world," the fish creature told them. "So no matter where we go, time and seasons will be thrown off. We would have to end up adapting or become extinct."

"That certainly can't be good," Kafei said in dismay. "I would not want any of us end up in that situation."

"I know Darmani the Third would have found a way out of this,goro," Darmani sighed and shook his head. "He was going to be our patriarch until the tragic accident on Snowpeak Mountain. If he were still alive, I know for certain he would figure something out."

Mystia looked at Darmani curiously. "Darmani the Third? Were you his son or something?"

"Oh, no," the Goron replied, "but I did look up to him. It's a tradition in the Goron tribe for a child Goron to name himself once he was old enough to do so, goro. I chose Darmani because I wanted to be just like him when I grew up."

"I didn't know that," Mystia thought out loud.

"Not too many people know that," Darmani mentioned.

"I know I was named after my father," Mikau brought up. "He was one of the greatest guitarists known in all of Termina. My mother called me that when she found my siblings and I at a marine lab in Great Bay. My other brothers and sisters were named after the musical notes in the song that my grandmother made famous called Ballad of the Wind Fish."

"Now _that_, I did not know," Kafei said. "But right now, we're getting off topic, boys. The fact is, time has sped up and we don't know when it will stop, let alone know how to even stop the situation."

"Well," Mystia said, "double time or none, I know I need to get to Hyrule. I have to get through Snowpeak to get there."

"No," the Goron jumped in. "You can't go there, goro. I've been up there recently and it was hard for me to get passed all the ice and snow that blocked the paths. It's too dangerous for you to go up there."

_Too dangerous?_ Oni huffed. _I'm a deity. You're part deity! We can get through that mountain with no problem._

"I have the ability to get through it, Mayor Kafei," Mystia stated. "I can't wait a whole season until the snow clears up. We have to get there now!"

"Perhaps I can be of some assistance." a voice spoke.

All four of them turned towards the voice behind them. Mystia gasped, then glared harshly.

"You again!" she growled.

Sure enough, standing before them was the same red-haired, grinning Happy Mask Salesman.

"Ah, young one," he said to Mystia. "It is so good to see you again. How goes your journey?"

"Horrid!" Mystia exclaimed in frustration. "First, I had to deal with Oni, who's been stuck inside my head for weeks, then fight a stupid bulokoblin, then a giant, white mole being controlled by a white shadow attacked me inside of a mountain-which, by the way, I was trapped inside of-, then run into this guy who knows me, but I don't know him, and finally, I had to put up with crazy Ashasti and his white shadow monster!"

"I see that you have been through many trials," the man replied, still smiling the same smile, "but I can also see that you have grown since the last time we met. I can also confirm that you have found out a way to lift the curse."

_Only two words fit this guy,_ Oni mentioned. _Creepy Stalker._

"I see that you know each other," Kafei said to Mystia.

"Vaguely," Mystia growled.

"I see," the mayor said when he noticed Mystia's glare at the man.

"So, goro," Darmani said to the red-haired man, "You said you could help in some way?"

"Oh, yes," the man answered, grinning even bigger. "I happen to know a secret passage through the base of the clock to get to Hyrule. It's very convenient."

"Secret passage?" Kafei inquired. "In the clock? I've never seen it before."

"Not too many people know about it," the man replied, "hence the word 'secret'."

"Is the pass accessible for a horse?" Mystia asked.

The man's smile turned into a frown.

"I'm sorry to say, but a horse could not go through that passage," the man informed regrettably. "It would be risky for it. Even fatal."

"Then I won't take that passage," Mystia declared. "I'll find another way."

"Oni Mystia," the mayor spoke up. "If you're so desperate to get to Hyrule, then leaving your horse behind won't be a problem."

"You don't understand," Mystia said with stubbornness. "Starfire is all I have left. I've already left someone behind. I'm not doing it again! Starfire is going with me no matter what!"

"Is there another way she can get to Hyrule?" Mikau asked the Mask Man.

"I'm afraid not," he said with a sigh. "It would take a miracle to get your horse to Hyrule." Then, the man's expression changed back to a smile. "But have faith. I'm sure your horse would be put into good hands."

"He's right, Mystia," Kafei confirmed. "We have a ranch woman who knows a lot about animals. She can take care of Starfire for you."

"I don't want to leave her!" Mystia growled.

_Mystia! We don't have more than what we have now. It's either we go now and leave the horse behind or wait another season to travel through the mountain._

_But- _Mystia protested._  
><em>

_I think if your parents were still alive, they would say the same thing,_ Oni said_. They would understand why you left her. If it meant you getting to Hyrule safely, they would want you to do this._

Mystia sighed. Oni knew exactly what she was thinking. She hated the fact that he knew what she was thinking, but she knew that he was only trying to help. She sighed with regret.

"Very well," she finally said to the group, "but she has to be placed in the best of care."

"It will be done," the mayor said. "I will speak with Romani about it." He stood up from the table and walked toward the busy crowd.

"I should get back to my group," Mikau said, standing up from his seat. "The people probably want some more entertainment."

He then walked away towards the band of his six brothers on stage.

"I think I'll turn in for the night, goro," Darmani stated to Mystia. "I need my sleep. I haven't had one since the warlock showed up. Well, good night!"

With that, the Goron stood from his seat and thumped his way through the bar towards the door.

Mystia looked up at the Mask Man with a glare. He was still looking at her and smiling.

_I wonder if he's the real enemy,_ she thought.

"I see you don't like me too well," he told her. "I know. I don't expect you to like me. Hardly anyone does. They just come and see me to buy masks from me."

He sat down in a chair and folded his hands on the table. "But, dear child, understand that I'm only trying to help you on your quest."

"Help me?" Mystia said, angrily. "If it wasn't for YOU leaving YOUR mask behind, I wouldn't have gotten into this mess in the first place!

"But it was not I who put the mask on out of curiosity," the man replied.

Mystia stood up and slammed her hand on the table with a loud bang.

"I DIDN'T..." she began to shout.

Realizing what she was doing, she sat back down, lowered her voice and hissed, "I didn't do it out of curiosity. I was just trying to prove a point to my horse that it was just a mask."

"You didn't have to prove anything," the Happy Mask Salesman pointed out. "It was just a mask. Putting it on is what brings out the power within the mask. Did you ever think about that?"

Mystia couldn't say anything, but she couldn't figure out if the reason was because of her anger or because she knew that he was right. She huffed and scowled in another direction.

"Look here," the man continued. "If you hadn't put on that mask, what do you think would have happened to you on your way here? You wouldn't have gotten past all of your trials without it."

Mystia thought about this and realized that, indeed, the man was right...again. Without Oni's help, she wouldn't have been able to know how to stop the bulokoblin, or discover about the white shadows, or even kill the monstrous one with the energized whirlwind attack. She sighed heavily and looked back at the man, who continued to smile.

"Even if you were right," she said, "I still don't like the fact that I'm trapped in this mask."

"I know," the man said. "But have faith. Soon enough, you will have the curse lifted. But at least remember this: you haven't just been cursed. You have been blessed."

"What is with that?!" the girl exclaimed. "How is a curse a blessing?"

The man stood up then and daid before giving a slight bow, "First thing in the morning, I will meet you inside the clock. I hope to see you there. Get plenty of rest. Goodnight."

The man walked away and disappeared in the crowd. Mystia sat there, quietly, listening to the music of the Zoras being played in the background.

_Mystia,_ she heard Oni say, _just remember that I'm here to help you. _

_I know, Oni, _she said._ I made a promise that I would help you as well. I just don't like the fact that you have to stay so attached to me._

_It's the only way I can communicate at the moment,_ Oni informed her._ Just you wait. When I get out of here, you won't __have me to bother with anymore. You will be you again. Then, I will go my way and you go yours. Fair and square._

Mystia nodded in response. _I can't wait for that day to show up!_

She stood up and walked up to the bar. The bar tender noticed her and approached.

"Can I help you, ma'am?" he asked with a tremor in his voice. She guessed that he was still scared of her, but she didn't care. She pulled out a red rupee and shoved it to him.

"A bottle of Romani Milk, please," she said with frustration.

* * *

><p>Oni: AAAAAUUUUUUGGGHHHHH! It's HIIIIIIIIMMMMMM!<p>

Roecliff: Did you have to bring HIM back into the story?

Izzy: *On a crutch and in bandages* Yes! Yes I did! ^-^

Roecliff: Well, at least now I know about the dead guys!

Izzy: They're not dead! They're descendants!

Scrubs: How come I had to get drunk?

Izzy: So Mystia is having a lot of conflict here. She has to depart from her favorite animal and head down a secret path that HMS knows about. How those will happen? Find out next chapter. *Oni kicks Izzy in the leg* OW!

Oni: Hehehe...

Roecliff: Interesting fact: Ballad of the Wind Fish was in Link's Awakening as well as Majora's Mask, but it isn't the same kind of song. In Majora's Mask, Toto the Zora asks Link to compose the song and mentions that the former Indigo-go's made it famous (Lulu's mother, Lulu, sang the song).

Izzy: *grumbling and glaring at Oni* Thank you, Roecliff!

Scrubs: O.o I still don't know why you had me drunk in this chapter?

Izzy: It was so dang cute! ^-^ Chibi Kawaiiiiiiiiii!

Scrubs: T-T Grrr...

Roecliff: Please review.


	11. The Secret Passage

Izzy: New chapter!

Everyone: WOOHOOO!

Izzy: Summary!

Everyone: T-T COME ON!

Izzy: Mystia has a way to get to Hyrule faster, but now she must make the ultimate sacrifice! Let's see what comes next!

Disclaimer: I'm going to my corner of sadness because I don't own anything Zelda. *wails loudly*

* * *

><p>She was already up early that morning before Scrubs, who had been snoring like the drunken Deku he was. She had walked outside in the freezing snow, immediately blending into its surroundings. The only thing that gave her away would be the footprints in the snow and the giant Double Helix sword across her back. She shivered in the cold and wished that she had a cloak to keep her warm.<p>

She made her way to South Clock Town to head out the South Gate. In that direction, she would find this Romani that was going to take her horse. Deep inside her heart, she did not want to leave Starfire behind. She was the only thing Mystia had left of her hometown besides the green blanket and the white ocarina she took with her. Leaving her behind would feel like abandoning everything she ever held onto. Though, the last thing she wanted to do was cry about it. Crying for her made her feel worse.

"Oni Mystia!" she heard someone shout behind her.

She stopped and turned around toward the voice. Walking towards her was Captain Viscen, carrying his spear like normal.

"I thought I wouldn't be able to catch up with you, let alone spot you with all this snow," the captain said to her. "You are one fast deity. I just wanted to give you this." He handed her an envelope with a seal of a clock on it. "Mayor Kafei had some important business to take care of in the east. He wanted me to make sure you got this before you headed to the ranch."

She looked at the captain and gave her a nod. "Thank you, sir."

He saluted her before walking away. She looked at the envelope before opening it and reading the letter inside:

_Oni Mystia,_

_I'm sorry that I couldn't take you to the ranch personally. I had some business to attend to in Ikana Valley. I've already notified Romani of the situation and she is willing to bring you back to Clock Town once you are done with your duties. I will see you once I return._

_Mayor Kafei_

_A very nice letter,_ Oni commented, _but a bit late on the information.__ Couldn't he have t__old us this last night?_

_What's last night anymore, Oni?_ Mystia asked, looking at the sky. Already, she could see the clock about to strike ten when she had just gotten up at six in the morning. _Time is not the same anymore._

She walked outside of the town to find Starfire standing by the doorway of the gate. She was gnawing at some hay that was left out for her to eat while she stood outside in the cold. Mystia approached her and rubbed the horse's neck.

"Good morning, Starfire," she said to her horse.

The mare looked at her and nudged her face. Mystia gave a smile to her dear old friend.

"Well, time for one last ride," she said to the horse. "We got to take you to Romani Ranch. Let's get going."

She hopped onto Starfire and turned her around towards the south… but had a thought. This would be the last time she would ever get to ride Starfire.

"On second thought," she said, "let's ride around for a little while."

She gave the command and the horse charged. The cold wind felt like it flowed right through her, but she didn't care. It was something special for her to remember. Riding through the fallen snow of Termina Field, she saw many places. She spotted the Snowpeak Mountains, covered in snow from peak to base. She saw Ikana Valley in a similar matter, with its stone pillars standing tall. She then caught a glimpse of the Southern Swamp, the trees all iced over. Finally, she saw the way to Great Bay, with the sand glistening under the bit of snow that was there. She had Starfire jump fences and logs just to get that feeling of flying. She closed her eyes at every jump and smiled. She shed a single tear from her eyes. She was really going to miss Starfire. She and the mare have been so close. She couldn't imagine herself leaving her.

She opened her eyes and found herself before the Southern Swamp. Towards her left was a small path leading to her original destination: Romani Ranch.

"Alright, girl," Mystia spoke up. "Let's get you to the ranch."

She gave a 'hya!' and the horse galloped toward the south.

* * *

><p>Romani Ranch was bigger than she had expected. The land was somewhat hilly and covered in white snow. Up ahead, she could see the small ranch house and barn with some boxes sitting around and a random balloon shaped like a Poe.<p>

She managed to trot up to the house when the door of the barn opened and a female walked out of it. Mystia dismounted, grabbed Starfire by her black mane, and walked her toward the barn. The woman with long, white hair, and very blue eyes approached her.

Mystia was actually caught off guard. The eyes she stared into looked very familiar. In fact, the woman herself looked familiar. Flashbacks struck her. She saw the same face, only tired and worn from worry. She hummed the same tune she had remembered for all of her life. She rocked her back and forth in her arms to calm her down. She wiped away the tears...

_Mystia?_ Oni said interrupting her thoughts._  
><em>

She shook out of her flashback and focused on the woman in front of her. She couldn't help but think that she knew this woman somehow.

"You must be Mystia," the female said.

Mystia got a better look on her. She had some wrinkles, but it didn't hide her youth. Her eyes did truly dazzle and her clothes were fit for ranch work. The woman smiled at her with kindness.

"Yes, I'm Mystia," she finally replied to the woman. "And you are..."

"Romani," the female replied. "I'm the rancher around here. My sister, Cremia, used to run this place, but she got too worn out to even milk the cows."

She approached Starfire to inspect her. "My goodness! Is this your horse?"

Mystia nodded.

"You took care of her well," the woman complimented. "She seems healthy and strong." She lifted one of the horse's hooves. "They're in good condition as well. How long have you owned this horse?"

"Since I was twelve," Mystia replied. "We go way back. My father gave her to me on my birthday when he thought I was responsible enough to take care of her."

"How did you keep her in such good condition?" Romani asked.

"I used her for cow herding," Mystia replied. "It was a job I had when I grew up back home. I made sure Starfire got plenty of exercise and nourishment."

"Starfire?" the woman spoke. "Is that the name of your horse? It's lovely."

"Thank you," Mystia said with a smile. "I thought it was best suited for her."

Romani placed her hands on her hips and shook her head with a smile.

"Incredible," she awed, then looked up at Mystia. "I can assure you that your horse will be taken care of. I don't think I'll have any trouble with her. Is there anything I need to know about her?"

"She loves carrots," Mystia told her. "I always give them to her. Sometimes she'll eat oats and hay, but she favors vegetables more. I never understood that." She chuckled. "She needs to be ridden at least three times a day, otherwise, she'll get jumpy. She also calms down to a song I play for her. It seems to grab her attention."

She hummed the song for Romani to hear. Once she was done, she saw Starfire right next to her, nudging her in the shoulder.

"See?" the girl said as she combed her fingers through the horse's mane.

"That's funny," Romani said in surprise. "That's the same song I played for grasshopper's horse."

"Grasshopper?" Mystia said with curiosity.

"That's a name I called this boy that came to our ranch years ago," the woman informed the deity girl. "He had a horse, too... a very sweet horse. She calmed down when I play that same song for her."

"How did you learn that song?" Mystia asked.

"My cousin, Malon, taught me that song," Romani replied. "She and I were like twins." She then frowned and lowered her head slightly.

"What's wrong?" Mystia inquired the woman.

"It's just that I haven't heard from her in years," she replied sadly. "I've been writing letters to her ranch in Hyrule, but I never get any back. Then when I heard about Hyrule and it's near destruction, I thought the worst could have happened to her."

She started to cry. "I'm so worried about her."

Mystia frowned. She knew what it was like to lose a family member. For that matter, she also knew what it was like to not know what had become of her real family. She looked at Romani, her eyes filled with dismay.

"I can find out for you," Mystia said.

Romani looked up at her, hopefully. "Really? You would do that for me?"

"Of course," Melody assured. "I'm looking for my real family as well. If I find her there, I'll let her know that you had been thinking and worrying about her."

Romani gave a sniff and smiled.

"Thank you, Mystia." she said, then wiped a tear and looked at Starfire. "You can say goodbye to your horse before you leave. I'll be willing to take you back by wagon."

Mystia nodded in thanks and then attended to her horse. The chestnut fur, the black mane, tufts and tail and the white star splotched on her forehead. She started to sniff and felt her eyes getting wet again.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye," Mystia said with a tremor in her voice.

She then started to cry. She wrapped her arms around the mare's neck and the horse replied by laying her head across her back to give into the hug as well.

"I don't want to leave you!" Mystia said sadly to Starfire. "Believe me, I don't, but I have to get to Hyrule and this is the only way. I'm sorry."

She gave a gentle squeeze before she let go and rubbed Starfire's nose. "I love you, girl. I promise to come back during the spring to get you. You be good, you hear?"

* * *

><p>Mystia had returned to Clock Town, thanks to the help of Romani who took her by horse and wagon. She entered through the gates into South Clock Town. Near the tower she spotted Mayor Kafei and his wife, Anju, Darmani the Goron, Mikau the Zora, and Scrubs, the little Deku, who was holding his head and moaning.<p>

"Ugh," he said as Mystia approached. "No more Chateau Romani for me."

"Welcome back, Mystia," Kafei said with a smile. "I'm sorry about this morning. I had to meet with a scientist that lived in Ikana Valley. He told me it was urgent. Apparently, seeing an experiment on crawling bugs and how they blow up in the sun was important."

Mystia smiled.

"Well," Kafei continued, "I know that you are leaving us and I want to thank you on behalf of Clock Town for rescuing us from the white shadows. We couldn't have done it without you. Each of us has something to give you before you leave. We hope that these items can be of some use to you."

Darmani stepped forward with a sack in his hand and handed it to her.

"This is a bomb bag," he told her proudly. "These bombs were the best grown in the mountains before the winter hit us. You can carry up to fifteen of these and they will help you get through blocked off places."

Mikau was next and carrying a parcel.

"My brothers and I wanted to give you this," he said with a trill.

He unwrapped it, revealing a strange device. It had a sharp point like an arrow connected to a spring and a handle.

"This is a hookshot," he informed the deity. "It can help you get to areas you can't reach."

Anju came up to her next with a brown pouch.

"This is a device I found a few years ago," she implied. "It can hold certain items you want to keep in it, like your weapons and food. I hope it's of great use to you."

She handed the pouch to Mystia, who examined it. She thought it seemed kind of small to carry large objects.

"I know it seems small," Anju said, realizing Mystia's confusion, "but even great things come in small packages. I even managed to store some food for both you and Scrubs inside of it with room to spare."

Mystia opened the pouch and, to her surprise, saw the items inside her bag. They looked small, but when she reached in there and pulled out an apple, she found that it was still the same size.

"Wow!" Mystia said, wide-eyed. "That's very kind of you. Thank you."

Kafei stepped forward.

"The Deku King isn't one who gives gifts to people," he stated, "but the Deku Princess sent you something on behalf of the Deku Kingdom."

He handed her a jar. Inside of it was a glowing pink ball with wings.

"This is a healing fairy," he informed. "In case someone dies, this fairy would bring them back to life."

She examined it closely. She had never seen a fairy in her life. She didn't think they existed.

"An honorable gift," she replied, still stunned. "Give her my thanks."

"And one last thing," Kafei said, pulling something from his pocket. "My gift to you. This should help you keep track of time."

He handed her a small object. She looked at it and realized that it was a small, rounded clock. It resembled the Clock Tower, only it was made to be portable. The wheels on it were rotating at the same rate.

"This is our newer model," the mayor continued. "It helps some people who travel out of town to know the time. In case someone from this town decided to go somewhere far away."

Mystia smiled and placed the clock, along with the other gifts she received, inside the pouch. She placed the pouch on her hips. Once she did, it turned black as if it became a part of her outfit. She took the mayor's hand and shook it.

"Thank you so much," she said and looked at the others around her. "To all of you. I hope that peace remains here in your town for years to come."

"My father, the elder, would be proud of you for your efforts," Darmani said with a beat of his chest. "He would wish you luck on your journey."

"I do hope you find what you are looking for," Mikau said.

"Good luck, travelers," Anju stated.

"I hope all goes well on your journey," Kafei said. "We are ever grateful to you. If you ever return, you will be most welcome. I hope that next we meet, the curse from both of you will be lifted."

"As do I," said Mystia with a smile. "Thank you again for all your help."

"Ugh," she heard Scrubs groan.

Mystia picked the worn out Deku up and carried him toward the clock. She opened the door and took a quick glance back. The mayor and his wife, the Goron and the Zora were all waving goodbye. She gave a salute and walked into the clock.

* * *

><p>Inside the tower, she heard the sounds of cogs turning and water rushing. In front of her she saw a long vertical pole that was spinning at a rapid pace. Above her she spotted the huge cogs that turned to make the clock move.<p>

_The mechanics here were carefully done,_ she thought. _It was properly built._

"Admiring the clock, are we?" said a familiar voice.

She looked back down to find the red-haired man standing at the top of a ramp, grinning from ear to ear.

_How does this guy get around!_ Oni asked perturbed.

Mystia, glaring at the man, went down the stairs and approached him, still carrying Scrubs in her arms.

"Sure," she replied sarcastically. She really didn't feel like talking to this guy.

"Indeed," the Happy Mask Salesman said. "These people do have a thing about time. As do I."

He turned toward the ramp. "Down this way is a door that will take you to the secret passage. Come, I'll take you there."

Mystia followed the man down the slope. The sound of rushing water kept getting louder as they descended downward. By the third ramp, she spotted a water wheel spinning in a small canal leading down a dark tunnel and through the iron bars on either side of it. Right ahead of them was a solid stone door.

"Here is where we must depart," he said to her. "Through these doors, you will find the secret passage that will lead you to Faron Woods. From there, you will be in Hyrule."

Mystia heard a scraping rumble. She looked at the doors and noticed the doors sliding open, revealing a dark and somewhat twisted hall.

"Have faith, child," said the man. "You will do fine. I believe in you."

Mystia turned and, like last time, the man was gone.

_I'm telling you!_ Oni said, annoyed. _That man gives me the creeps!_

"Mystia," she heard Scrubs say, quietly. "I don't like that dark tunnel. It looks...unusual."

"It's the only way," Mystia said with determination as she began to walk through the twisted tunnel. Right behind them closed the doors with a solid boom.

* * *

><p>They found themselves in a cavern with giant stalactites that were big and wide enough for a person to stand on. Deku flowers were scattered on each platform. Even the ledge that they were standing on had a Deku flower before them. They looked below and saw nothing but darkness.<p>

"Okay," Mystia sighed. "Now I see why I couldn't take Starfire through here. How in the world are we supposed to get across?"

"I know how _I_ can get across," Scrubs announced as he jumped out of Mystia's arms. He waddled over to one of the Deku flowers. "I can use these to get across."

"Are you sure you want to do that?" she asked with concern. "You still have a headache."

"I'm alright. Anju gave me some Romani milk earlier to help the pain go away. It took a little time to process, though."

He got on top of the flower and spun right into it. It turned toward the direction of the closest platform. Then out shot Scrubs to a high altitude and, in both hands, came forth two spinning flowers. They carried him all the way to the other platform with ease. When he was over the platform, the flowers folded upward, making him drop onto it, and the flowers fell apart and fluttered down into the never-ending pit. He turned toward Mystia.

"See?" he said proudly.

_Show off!_ Oni stated with annoyance.

_Okay, expert,_ Mystia said to Oni, _how do _we_ get across?_

_Simple, Oni said bluntly._ _You jump and spin._

_...Seriously? _Mystia said incredulously._  
><em>

_Yes, I'm serious! _Oni said._ Jump and spin with your sword. That simple!_

_Okay, _Mystia said warily,_ but if I fall, then I blame you in the afterlife!_

She pulled out her sword, ran, jumped, and spun with the sword. It reacted like a propeller, which brought her all the way to the ledge. She landed gracefully on her feet.

"Wow!" Scrubs awed. "That was so cool!"

"Shall we continue?" Mystia asked.

Both Deku with flowers and deity with sword leapt and spun to each ledge. They finally made it to the other side of the dark canyon.

"Whew!" Mystia breathed. "That makes you nauseous after a while."

"It can wear a person out doing all this," Scrubs confirmed.

_I feel just fine,_ commented Oni smugly.

_Who's being a show off now?_ Mystia asked sarcastically.

"Come on, let's get going!" Scrubs said excitedly with a jump towards the door. Mystia opened the door and walked in to find another set of ledges similar to the last room.

"Here we go again," Mystia said with a sigh.

* * *

><p>"Uhhhh!" Scrubs exclaimed in exhaustion.<p>

Both Mystia and Scrubs had made it to the other side, but they were both worn out from all the spinning and leaping. Scrubs fell on his face with tiredness and Mystia rested her hands on her knees, breathing hard.

"Whoo!" Mystia said, wearyingly. "By Farore's Wind...that took...a lot out of me!"

Scrubs raised his head and held his balled fist up in the air.

"Yeah...but...we made it!" With a large exhale, Scrubs went back down.

Mystia straightened out and picked up Scrubs.

"I think we're almost there," she told him.

The girl walked through the hallway, her legs still slightly wobbly from the exercise that she got from leaping over the platforms. She found herself at another door and she hoped that it wouldn't be another set of platforms to leap to. She opened it and they found themselves in a room with a small puddle of water in the middle of it and a random Deku flower toward the back. Above them was a dark opening. No other door was in sight.

"What now?" Scrubs asked, looking up at Mystia.

She scowled. The man never mentioned a dead end! What kind of secret passage would have a dead end? She just couldn't believe it! She put Scrubs down and walked around the room. She felt the walls for fake ones, but all of them sounded solid. She even looked up through the opening above them.

"I don't know, Scrubs," she finally replied. "The man didn't tell me anything about this situation."

_Wait!_ Oni spoke suddenly._ I see something! Above you!_

She looked up and Oni switched her vision. Right before her eyes of truth were patches of vines inside of the opening.

_Those vines look strong enough to grab onto, _Oni said._  
><em>

_Yeah, but they're so high,_ she pointed out. _How can I reach them?_

_Maybe you have something that will help you reach the top, _Oni suggested._  
><em>

Mystia pondered over it. What could she possibly have that could help her reach high places? She then heard the voice of Mikau: _This will help you reach high places._

"The hookshot!" she exclaimed aloud. "That should do it!"

"Huh?" Scrubs said, confused.

"Hop on, Scrubs!" Mystia told the Deku.

He listened and climbed up her back.

"There are vines up there that I can grab onto with the hookshot," she continued. She reached into her pouch, pulled out the hookshot in full size and aimed it up. "It's up and away from here!"

She fired the hookshot to the nearest patch.

"Um, Mystia, I don't see any...viiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnneeeesssss!"

The hook grabbed the vine and pulled them right up to it. Mystia grabbed the vine and fired the hookshot at another set of vines, with the same reaction as the first time.

"Mystia!" Scrubs nervously exclaimed. "How long is this going to last?"

"As long as it takes to get to the top!" she replied, firing the hookshot at the next vine patch.

* * *

><p>Izzy: End of chapter.<p>

Scrubs: *crying* Starfire was awesome! You're a horrible author! How could you!

Izzy: I know! I feel bad!

Oni: Doesn't look like you do!

Izzy: Anyway! Mystia and Scrubs are on their way to Hyrule! What will they do next? HA! You won't find out next chapter!

Everyone: WHAT?

Izzy: *fingered steeple of evil contemplation* Heeheehee!

Roecliff: Izzy would like to let you know that she had mentioned a theory.

Izzy: Yes. You may have noticed I mentioned Faron Woods instead of the Lost Woods or the Kokiri Forest. My theory is that the Kokiri Forest and the Lost Woods are all different areas of Faron Woods. There! It has been explained!

Scrubs: *wailing* STARFIRE!

Roecliff: *plugging his ears with his claws* Please Review, everyone! Ugh! Scrubs!


	12. Dark Conversations

Izzy: *Transylvania accent* Good day, fellow readers! It is time for the new perspective of a different character! Ha ha ha ha ha *Thunder in the background*

Roecliff: *suspiciously* What are you? The count?

Izzy: *continuing in accent* It is time for me to summarize ze story. Mystia is now on her vay to Hyrule vith her leettle Deku friend, Scrubs. Vat vill happen to zem? *long pause* No vone vill know in zis chapter! HA HA HA HA HA! *More thunder*

Scrubs: O.O She's scaring me...

Oni: *v* Heh heh heh... *he pulls out a pad of paper and writes down on his list of things to do to Scrubs* This is awesome!

Izzy: *still with accent* Begin ze chapter!

Disclaimer: I want to suck the blood of the Japanese man who created Zelda games. That way, he would be dead and I will take ownership of Nintendo! Ha ha ha ha ha! *more thunder!*

* * *

><p>He stood by the window of his chambers, gazing into the black sky. His skin was dark like the sky. He was almost a giant compared to the people below his castle, which was as black as his soul. His hair was a fiery red. His clothes were fit for a dark king. His eyes, red and piercing, were filled with hatred. He looked out that window, hoping by some miracle, he would finally get what he had been waiting for. The longer it eluded him, the more enraged he became.<p>

"Sire," he heard someone say behind him.

He turned to see an Iron Knuckle, kneeling before him in a bow.

"Rise and report," he said with a deep growl of frustration.

The soldier stood up.

"Sire," the soldier spoke, "we had managed to capture one of the rebels in the Gerudo Fortress."

"It better be someone worth while, lieutenant," he responded back with a snap.

"It's Nabooru, sire," the Iron Knuckle reported.

_Naboo__ru? _The Gerudo gave a disgusted sigh. Nabooru was the last person he wanted to deal with. The last time they worked together, she betrayed him and helped that brat of a hero to stop him instead!

_However,_ he reluctantly thought, s_he may be my only chance to find her._

"Bring her in," he grumbled.

The soldier made a quick bow before he left the room. The next thing he heard was a female's voice in the hallway.

"LET ME GO, YOU FIENDS! LET ME GO!" shouted a female voice.

The Dark King watched as two Iron Knuckles walked in, holding a dark skinned woman with long, red hair. Her pink clothes resembled that of an Arabian pirate. She was decked in gold and red jewels. She was struggling to break free of the soldiers. Once they were at a fair distance, the soldiers forced the woman down onto her knees, making her bow before him. He smiled. This was the moment he had been waiting for from her, and a moment he knew that she despised above all other things.

When she looked up, his smile grew bigger when he saw the glare of fury burn in her liquid gold eyes.

"It's been a long time, Nabooru," he said smugly. "I never thought I'd see you again."

The female bared her teeth in anger and disgust.

"It's been too short for me to deal with you!" she growled. "You're the last person I would ever want to see again!"

"I'm glad we feel the same way," he informed as he approached her. "Now, I have been troubled for a long time about this. I was actually hoping for some...assistance from you. I never intended to get this information from you of all people, but it will have to do for now."

He knelt down to her level and took a long look at the female.

"You know who I'm looking for and I know that you know where she is," he went on, "so if you can just give me that piece of information, I would be very grateful."

"Forget it, Ganondorf!" she spat. "I would never tell you! Not if it meant my own life!"

"Oh, you see," Ganondorf smirked, "that is a problem. For it could mean more than just your life at risk here. You hang the world in the balance. I've had soldiers kill many people just because of this girl. How many more are you going to risk by holding back this secret?"

"I still will never tell," the Gerudo female shouted. "The rebels will find a way to stop you!"

"They are nothing compared to me!" the Gerudo growled. "I have all the power to destroy them. I am the king!"

"You call yourself a king?" Nabooru said angrily. "You're nothing but the king of pigs!"

That made him snap. He took his hand and back-slapped her in the face.

"Be careful with what comes out of that mouth of yours!" he declared. "The next time you speak with disrespect to me, I can assure you that my lash _will_ be more fatal!"

He grabbed her by the chin and made her look into his piercing eyes. "I'm sure, of all people, _you _understand that!"

"I have no intention of assisting you!" she hissed. "I can take the pain! Go ahead! Lay it on me, but I will never tell you where she is!"

"You _will _tell me!" the Dark King demanded.

"I don't serve you!" the female spat again. "May the goddesses of Hyrule curse you!"

"Sire!" declared another voice.

Ganondorf looked up and saw a Stalfos standing in the doorway.

"Can't you see I'm busy?" he shouted in frustration.

"But, sire," the Stalfos shook. "Ashasti has returned!"

That caught his attention. He hadn't heard from him in years. This could be it. It could be his one chance of success.

"Bring him in here!" he commanded.

The Stalfos took off in a hurry. He looked at Nabooru, who was still glaring at him in hatred.

"I'll deal with you later," he told her.

Ganondorf motioned the soldiers to take Nabooru to the other end of the room. He walked over to the center of his room with a far distance from the door. Through the doors walked in the bald-headed man in his black tunic and yellow cape. He still had the goatee on his chin and wore the crooked smile caused by his scar.

"Sire," he said with the slickness of oil in his tone, bowing low to the ground. "It is so good to be in your presence again. It's been awhile since the last time we met."

"Indeed," Ganondorf grumbled. "Is there something you wanted from me?"

"Oh, yes, sire," the man continued. "I just wanted to let you know that all is well in the lands beyond. Of course, there were some complications with one of them, but that will be straightened out eventually."

"And you're here because?" the Gerudo lord asked.

"It's been awhile and..." the man began.

Ashasti then noticed Nabooru in the other corner. Ganondorf watched as he approached her with devious eyes.

"My, my, my!" he stated with amusement. "What do we have here? A Gerudo female? How lovely!"

He attempted to touch her, but Nabooru spat at his face. The saliva landed on his cheek, causing him to back away slightly.

He wiped it off with the back of his hand and gave a devilish smile. "Vicious, are we?"

"Ashasti!" the dark man shouted.

He looked back at Ganondorf.

"Don't you have something or '_someone_' you wanted to show me?" Ganondorf asked.

The man's face turned pale and his smile faded. Ganondorf realized what it meant and began to glare harshly.

"You...do have...something...to show me...don't you?" the King of Evil asked again as he started getting more angry.

"Well, sire," Ashasti began while faking his smile, "I did find her..."

"But?" Ganondorf said impatiently.

"But..." Ashasti said as his face turned white and his eyes widened in fear. "I didn't realize it was her until she...escaped from me."

That was enough for Ganondorf. With fire burning in his eyes, he quickly swooped over to Ashasti, grabbing him by the neck, and pinned him to the wall.

"ESCAPED!" He shouted with fury. "Seventeen years I have waited for this brat and you are telling me that you LOST HER?"

"Please, sire!" he choked, trying to breathe under the pressure of Ganondorf's strong hand. "It wasn't my fault...The boy that was with her...he distracted me..."

"You're telling me the lamest excuse you can come up within that puny brain of yours is a mere boy got in your way?" the dark lord growled.

"The girl was too fast anyway" Ashasti weezed. "...The soldiers couldn't catch up...She just disappeared...I swear!"

Ganondorf stared hard at the man with a deep growl. Then he let him go with a drop. Ashasti fell to his knees, holding his throat and coughed hard.

"You are truly pathetic," Ganondorf stated in annoyance. "Here you are, going about with a bunch of white shadows in your control and still you cannot catch a simple girl."

"I can assure you, sire," Ashasti said in between breaths, "that I have been searching for her. Seventeen years worth. When I did find her, she got away. On top of that, there is another problem that should be dealt with."

"Oh?" Ganondorf crossed his arms and looked sternly at Ashasti. "Enlighten me."

"This strange person...no, a deity, traveling with a Deku Scrub, showed up in Termina the other day. She called herself Oni Mystia. She's very powerful. She can see my white shadows. She even defeated one! If I don't get her out of the way, then finding the girl will become more difficult."

"A deity...and a Deku Scrub... traveling together?" It took him a moment before Ganondorf chuckled in amazement. Then, his voice became serious. "Is that the best story you can come up with?"

"I haven't lied to you, sire," Ashasti said as he stood up. "It's true. If you don't believe me, just wait. It's only a matter of time before she reaches Hyrule and once she does, she will ruin everything you have worked for!"

Anger boiled inside of him. A so-called deity ruining his plans? He wasn't going to let that happen. She may be a mere deity, but he was a god! She would be no match for the King of Evil. He glanced down at his hand and saw the emblem of three triangles forming into one: the Triforce. Ever since he stole away the Triforce of Power, even the Hero of Time couldn't destroy him. He still managed to escape from the Sacred Realm and destroy the hero before he had the chance. This deity would be no different. He looked down at Ashasti.

"Not if I can do anything about it," he told the bald man. "If she decides to show up for a fight, it will be the day she realizes who has the true power around here. As long as I bear the golden power, no one, not even a childish deity, can stop me."

He then grabbed Ashasti by the collar of his tunic.

"And as for _you_," he growled, "you still have a job to do. I don't care if anyone gets in your way. Do whatever it takes to find that girl and bring her to me alive!"

He threw Ashasti toward the door and watched him as he slid across the floor. Ashasti looked up at him. Ganondorf glared at the wretched form on the ground.

"And," the Gerudo shouted, "if you DARE show your horrid face to me without her, so help me! I will make sure your miserable life is turned into a pile of ashes! NOW, GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!"

He observed as Ashasti, who had pure terror written all over his face, bolt towards the door. Ganondorf formed an energy ball in his hand and, with frustration, threw it at the doors as they closed. It barely missed Ashasti's bald head and hit the wall with a fiery explosion. Ashasti's scream was heard as he disappeared behind the closed doors. Ganondorf breathed deeply with a growl.

"Same old temper," said the voice of Nabooru. "Not much has changed, has it?"

He turned to the Gerudo chief who was shaking her head and smirking.

"So, now I'm curious," she continued. "Who is this 'brat' you speak of?"

Ganondorf approached her. He had enough! He had to get the information from Nabooru about her location. Once he did, he could retrieve the power she bears and use it to take the other one easily. It was his only chance at this point. Ashasti's search for the girl was taking too long and he was growing impatient.

He got down to her level and gave her a cold stare.

"It is not your concern...yet," he replied, his voice like ice. "Now, I'm going to give you one more chance to answer me. Where...is..._Queen Zelda_?"

* * *

><p>Izzy: *in same accent as before* Now ze plot thickens! HA HA HA HA HA! *More thunder!*<p>

Roecliff: IZZY!

Izzy: *normal voice* What? I'm enjoying this!

Oni: Well, you're annoying me! Now get on with it!

Izzy: T-T Fine! Ru'! Anyway, so now you know what's going on in Ganondorf's side of things. He's looking for the missing Queen Zelda and Melody at the same time! OMGOSH! This is just so horrid!

Oni: Quit being dramatic!

Izzy: I have to admit, this was one of the most fun chapters to write. I got to torture Ashasti a little bit here. Heeheehee! *thunder noise* WAIT! I didn't do it right!

Roecliff: T_T Review please!


	13. Something Old, Something New

Izzy: On with the next chapter!

Oni: I hear that you're out of school right now? Does that mean you'll focus more on your story?

Izzy: Not necessarily! I do have a job, you know! And besides, I have cake stuff to worry about.

Roecliff: But didn't you schedule a day off for yourself next week?

Izzy: Summary! So now, we have Ganondorf who is still looking for Melody (but it's really him sending Ashasti to do his dirty work) and he's looking for Queen Zelda. Why Queen Zelda? Will Ganondorf succeed? We might get back to him much later. For now, let's return to what's going on in Mystia's side of things.

Oni: And mine! Don't forget me!

Scrubs: Me too! Me too!

Oni: Who cares about you, shrub?

Scrubs: I AM NOT A SHRUB!

Izzy: Begin!

Disclaimer: I wish the goblins will help me get the rights to Zelda games right now! *chirp chirp* Dang!

* * *

><p>"At last! We made it to the top!" exclaimed a very tired Deku.<p>

Mystia and Scrubs managed to climb all the way to the top of the long, upward tunnel. Scrubs had leaped off of Mystia's back and waddled out of the cave. Mystia pulled herself up with a groan. Her arms and legs were sore from using the hookshot and holding onto the invisible vines. She stood up, put away the hookshot, and followed Scrubs out, rubbing her sore arms. Right before her was a set of wooden stumps in a clearing. Ahead of her was a tunnel through a big tree. She looked up and saw the sky just as dark as it was back in Termina. She gave a sigh of relief as she brightened her glow.

"We made it, Scrubs," she said. "We're in Hyrule."

"This is Hyrule?" the Deku huffed. "Seems kind of… small."

_Dumb nut!_ She heard Oni say.

"This is only part of it," Mystia informed the Deku.

She leaped down from the high ledge she was on and onto the ground. She looked at her surroundings and noticed something.

"It's all green here," she pointed out. "Where's all the snow?"

She then heard Scrubs scream. She looked up in time to watch the Deku fall right on top of her. Even though he was light, the force was strong enough to cause her to lose her balance and fall flat on the ground.

"Ow!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, sorry, Mystia!" Scrubs stated as he leapt off of her stomach. "You're right, Mystia. There isn't any snow at all here! Shouldn't it be winter time?"

Mystia sat up and groaned, then stood up while straightening her sore back. She definitely had a work out. Her body was becoming stiff from the pain. She had never experienced this kind of pain, even with all the climbing she did to save Mrs. Della's cat from a tree.

She glanced around again to make sure that what she had said before was confirmed. Everywhere there was green grass and plants. Not a drop of snow was seen anywhere.

_This is unusual,_ Mystia thought. _How is it that there is no snow?_

She then remembered her clock that Mayor Kafei gave her before she left Clock Town. She pulled it out and looked at it, counting the minutes.

"Time here is going five times faster than it was back in Clock Town," Mystia informed Scrubs. "That means it must be spring already."

_Correction,_ Oni chimed. _Spring had just begun here._

_Oh, now, you're keeping track of the seasons as well?_ Mystia said with annoyance.

_Actually,_ Oni corrected,_ I did some quick calculations from what you have told me of the time and used that to calculate how many days it has been since we left Clock Town. It has been..._

_You don't have to tell me! _Mystia interrupted._  
><em>

Mystia headed towards the tunnel up ahead of them, Scrubs right behind her. They found themselves in a clearing with many trees.

"How far is the castle from here?" asked Scrubs.

"It could take awhile on foot," Mystia replied. "We should get started unless we want to get there by next winter."

"That won't be necessary," said a voice.

She turned to the voice behind her. Standing at a distance, leaning against one of the trees with his arms crossed, was Takaro. His face was still masked and his one gold eye was staring at her calmly.

_Him again!_ Oni growled. _What is he? A stalker? As if you have enough!  
><em>

Mystia stepped forward to confront Takaro.

"What are you doing here?" Mystia asked the cloaked boy. "I thought you were shadow hunting."

"I was," he replied, standing up straight and putting his arms at his sides, "but other things came up. I wanted to help you out."

"With what?" Mystia asked. "Unless you have means of transportation besides walking, then I have no use of your help."

"I might just have something," the figure told her.

Mystia gave him a curious look. He turned his head and gave a loud whistle.

Off in the distance, she heard a neighing sound and hoofs thumping on the ground. Out from the trees sprang a red chestnut horse with a wild black mane, tufts and tail. On its sides were white bags flopping as the horse approached the clearing. What stuck out to Mystia, however, was something on the horse's forehead: a white star.

"Starfire!" Mystia exclaimed.

She ran up to the horse and wrapped her arms around her beloved friend. She squeezed tightly as tears poured from her white eyes.

"Oh, it's you! It's really you!" Mystia cried out.

The horse responded by laying her head on Mystia's back, rubbing against her. Mystia chuckled with delight. Her own horse had come back to her. She stood back to take a good look at the mare. Starfire's solid eyes looked straight into Mystia's.

"It's so good to see you again, Starfire," she whispered to the horse. "I promise that I won't leave you ever again. A promise!"

_Do you always get this emotional over things like this?_ Oni asked bluntly.

_Do you always have to ruin a good moment?_ She replied bluntly.

"I'm confused," Scrubs said aloud. "How did Starfire get all the way over here? Snowpeak was blocked off and there was no way of her getting through the secret passage."

Mystia looked over at Takaro. Scrub's was right. How did Starfire get to Hyrule?

"Well," she reiterated, "How, Takaro?"

Takaro's eye smiled.

"I talked to the woman and told her that I could get your horse to you," he told them. "Of course, it took some convincing, but she finally agreed and gave me Starfire. I took a secret passage to meet up with you."

"There was another way?!" Mystia exclaimed.

_What way? The evil way?_ Oni huffed.

"Yes," he replied. "It was a passage near Ikana Valley. There was a secret cave there that I used and it took me less time to get here."

_I wished that the Happy Mask Salesman told me this!_ Mystia grumbled to herself. _I'm covered in sores because of his 'only way to Hyrule' passage!_

_Maybe _he's _the real villain! _Oni mentioned. _And this creep is working for him! _

"Takaro...I...I don't get it," Mystia said confused. "I know you'll refuse to tell me, but why are you helping me? I want to know!"

Takaro lowered his head, closing his eye in ponder.

"As I have said before, I can't explain it," he confirmed. "I don't know why, but for some strange reason, I feel drawn to help you. I can assure you, though, that I'm not the enemy, no matter what you think."

Takaro turned and began to walk toward the dark trees. He turned his head back to see her.

"You should get going," he said, "but remember that it becomes more dangerous from here on out. I hope we see each other again soon. Take care, Mystia."

With that, he turned his head forward and continued to walk away until he disappeared among the trees.

Mystia stared out into the darkness, confusion still hovering over her. _What is with this guy? Appearing and disappearing out of nowhere! How does he do that? It's like he's some kind of ghost or something._

_Maybe he is,_ Oni said creepily. _And he's waiting for the right opportunity to snatch you up and eat you for breakfast! _

_Cut it out, Oni! _Mystia snapped._  
><em>

"So, how long do you think it will take to get to Hyrule Castle now?" asked Scrubs.

Mystia smiled as she looked at Starfire.

"We'll get there before summer," she reported. "Let's go!"

* * *

><p>The sky was getting darker as Mystia and Scrubs made their way on Starfire through their unfamiliar territory. Considering that none of them (including Oni) had ever been to Hyrule, they deemed themselves completely lost.<p>

"It's taking forever!" Scrubs whined. "How much longer?"

_If he complains one more time,_ Oni growled, _there's going to be a bonfire made of Deku sticks when I'm out of here! _

Mystia had snapped out of her exhaustion.

"Mmm?" she said wearily, rubbing her face. "Oh, we'll be there eventually, Scrubs. Don't worry."

_Mystia, maybe you should stop, _Oni commented. _You feel exhausted._

_How do you know how I feel?_ She replied in question.

_I'm a part of you, remember? _Oni reminded_.  
><em>

_We can't stop now, Oni,_ Mystia told him_. We have to get to Hyrule Castle._

_Not in your condition! _the boy told her._ You can barely keep your eyes open!_

She sighed. He was right. She had been pushing herself too much for the past few days. She tugged on Starfire's mane, telling the horse to stop. She leaped down from Starfire then turned her gaze to Scrubs.

"We're going to stop for the night," she told him. "We need to get some rest."

"Out here?" Scrubs asked nervously. "In the middle of the woods at night? Isn't that kind of dangerous?"

"Anywhere is dangerous, Scrubs," Mystia stated with her hands on her hips. "No matter where we go, trouble will always show up."

"But there might be wolfos out here at night," Scrubs shivered.

"Nothing I can't handle," the deity girl informed the Deku. "I was a cow herder and had to fight those things. I managed to defeat them every time."

_Except one,_ Oni pointed out. _You still have those scars on your shoulder from that one wolfos._

_Don't remind me _Mystia said_.  
><em>

With that wolfos, she was caught off guard. She was already tired from that morning's duties. She was just saddling up her horse for the night when a wolfos appeared from nowhere. It tackled her to the ground, then gave her shoulder a deep scratch from its sharp claws. She screamed from the pain, which aroused the townsfolk nearby. If her father hadn't shown up in time with his blade, she would have been shredded to pieces. It took weeks for her shoulder to heal before she was able to get back to work.

She was only thirteen then, but she had improved over the years. She taught herself to be aware of the wolfos. She learned the sounds they made with their howls and paws on the ground. She could tell from miles away how many wolfos were in the area.

She perked up her pointed ears to listen. She then heard a howl from far away.

"Sounds like there's only one," she informed. "It's pretty far away, but..."

No sooner had she spoke, she heard the rustling in the bushes. Scrubs squealed in fear and hid under his shell. Starfire stepped back slowly as Mystia pulled out her sword and got into a defensive stance. They waited for what seemed like a few minutes. She stared at the bushes carefully, expecting the first move.

"Come on," Mystia said in a whisper. "What are you waiting for?"

Then, leaping out of the bushes, was a gray wolfos with a bushy tail and bared teeth. It had leaped so far that it crashed into Mystia without a second thought. She fell to the ground with her sword flying the other direction. The wolfos stood upon her, growling and staring at her with its dark brown eyes. Mystia's eyes were wide with bewilderment.

_Mystia!_ Oni shouted.

_Please don't kill me!_ Mystia thought.

The wolfos got close to her face and sniffed. Then, unexpectedly, it began to lick her face.

"Ugh! Yuck! Uh!" Mystia said, trying to push the wolfos away from her face. "Stop it! Ew!"

_That is so funny!_ She heard Oni laugh.

"FETCH! STOP IT RIGHT NOW!" shouted a voice.

The wolfos stopped and turned toward the bushes. Mystia did the same. Coming out of the bushes was a skeleton, armored with only gloves, boots, a belt, and shoulder pads. His eyes were pea-sized and yellow and they looked angry.

_Stalfos!_ Oni exclaimed.

Mystia recognized its stature was similar to the ones that had chased her back at Meladon. She pushed the wolfos aside and ran to her sword, thrusting it towards the stalfos once she picked it up.

"Get back!" she shouted. "Stay away from me!"

"Wait! Please!" it cried in a British accent. "I never intended any harm. Please put that thing down! I don't like pointy things!"

Mystia cocked an eyebrow in confusion.

The stalfos looked over at the wolfos.

"Fetch! Sit, boy! Sit!" he commanded.

The wolfos groaned and sat down. The stalfos looked back at Mystia, who gave him a quizzical look.

He noticed that Mystia's weapon was still held up in defense. He eyed the double blade nervously.

"If you don't mind putting away that sword, I would gladly appreciate it," he asked politely.

Mystia, still stunned at the prospect of this stalfos acting civil towards her, put away the sword slowly.

"Thank you kindly," he continued. "Begging your pardon, miss. We didn't mean to frighten you. Allow me to introduce ourselves. My name is Femur and this..." He pointed at the wolfos, who had lain down and started grooming its fur. "...is Fetch, my loyal companion. Might I inquire on what your names would be?"

"Uh...uh-I'm Mystia," she finally said, trying to make sense of what had happened. "And this is...my friend, Scrubs."

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance!" Femur replied, extending his boney hand out to shake hers.

Mystia cautiously took it and he shook it a bit roughly.

_An intelligent-sounding stalfos?_ Oni remarked in disbelief. _I never thought that was possible._

"Your name is...Femur?" Mystia asked, rubbing her hand in pain.

"Oh, yes," he replied with a grin. "I gave the name to myself. I thought it fit really nicely."

"Weirdo," she heard Scrubs mumble behind her.

"And the wolfos?" Mystia spoke. "Why is his name Fetch?"

"Because he likes to fetch...a lot..."

The next thing they knew, Fetch leapt onto Femur, knocking him flat on the ground.

"No! Not now!" Femur shouted. "Down boy! Down! No! Not the shin! Not the...AAUUUGH!"

Mystia cringed at the view.

_That just doesn't look right,_ Oni stated painfully.

_There's something really wrong about watching this,_ Mystia confirmed.

Fetch yanked Femur's shin bone off his body with his teeth and brought it up to Mystia. He laid it at her feet and panted as if to say 'Play! Play!'

Mystia wasn't sure how to react. The fact that the wolfos yanked a bone off of a body of a skeleton, who actually screamed in pain, in attempt to play fetch with her, was, to her in all ways, quite disturbing.

"Uh...maybe later, okay?" Mystia said nervously as she picked up the bone.

"You mutt!" Femur grumbled.

He had stood up and began hobbling over to Mystia. She handed him the bone, which he gladly took, and she gritted her teeth to the sounds of cracks and snaps as he replaced the bone back in his leg.

"My humblest apologies," Femur said with a sigh. "Fetch is usually more mature than this when he meets new people."

"I'm still confused," Mystia said to him. "You're a stalfos. Aren't you supposed to carry a sword and kill people?"

"Me? Kill? Ugh!" Femur exclaimed in disgust. "No! No! Just the mention of the word makes my spine shiver! I'm not the type who kills people. I'm a pacifist!"

"A what?" Scrubs asked with a quizzical look in his big yellow eyes.

"A pacifist," Femur repeated. "I don't believe in violence. Especially if it involves..." he shivered to the thought he had. "...blood and...brrrr...gore! It's so inhumane!"

_That's strange coming from a creature with no blood whatsoever,_ Oni mentioned.

"And I also have aichmophobia," the Stalfos also informed.

"The fear of getting hurt?" Mystia guessed.

"No, the fear of sharp objects," Femur replied.

_Well, that must be a pain!_ Oni joked.

_Ha, ha, Oni!_ Mystia thought sarcastically.

"That's why I ran here for a hiding place," the Stalfos continued. "All the armies of the Dark King have been killing people just to find the queen and I don't want to be involved in any bloodshed..."

"Wait! The queen?" Mystia interrupted. "Who's the queen?"

Femur's eyes furrowed in a curious look as he asked, "You're not from around here, are you?"

"No, we're not," Mystia replied. "Scrubs and I are from far away."

"Yeah," Scrubs intruded as he hopped down from Starfire with a thump and waddled over to the two. "We came all this way to speak to the princess about an evil man named Ashasti."

"Princess?" Femur inquired. "No, we don't have a princess...unless you mean the queen."

"Did the king give the throne to her already?" Mystia asked.

"The king was assassinated by the Dark King," Femur told them. "The queen took the throne and then escaped from him with a band of rebels. No one has ever seen her since."

"Couldn't she have fought the Dark King?" Mystia asked. "And what about the Hero of Time? Can't he stop him?"

Femur shook his head in despair.

"I'm afraid not," Femur said sadly. "The Hero of Time isn't even here. In fact, he...he never returned."

_Never returned?_ Mystia thought in shock.

"What do you mean by that?" Scrubs asked in worry.

"I mean, he never came back," Femur implied. "He went off on some mission for the queen many years ago and never came back. Some people had even said that he was taken captive or worse...killed."

"That's an insane thing to say!" Mystia exclaimed. "No one can defeat the Hero of Time! He always wins!"

"Not in this case," the Stalfos told her. "If he was, as you say, 'undefeated', then he would have been here seventeen years ago to stop the Dark King from taking Hyrule for himself, but because he didn't, the world has been in darkness. Even the queen realized that she didn't stand a chance against the Dark King, which is why she disappeared. Now there is a group of rebels called the Hylia Warriors who are going to war with the king, trying to find ways to defeat him."

Femur leaned on a nearby tree and crossed his arms.

"Personally, I see it as a pointless war," Femur pointed out. "The Dark King has full control. There's no way of stopping him. It's a war they can't win yet they will fight until they are extinct. Then what would become of Hyrule?"

"That's awful!" Scrubs stated with sadness.

"Too true," Femur confirmed. "Because of the queen's escape, the Dark King has been searching for her along with another girl. I think the name was Melody. I'm not sure who that is."

Mystia bit her lip when she heard her real name being pronounced. She saw Fetch perked his ears, listening to the conversation with intrigue.

"Whoever this Melody is," Femur continued, "he's desperate to find her."

Femur looked at the Deku. "Now, my dear friend. You mentioned someone named Ashasti. Who might this person be? Is he evil?"

"Beyond evil!" Scrubs exaggerated. "He's mad! Crazy even! He happens to be looking for this Melody as well."

"He destroyed many villages using white shadows," Mystia jumped in. "He had caused death and destruction in our homes. We came to seek the princess...I mean, queen...to get her help, but it appears as if Hyrule has bigger problems to worry about."

"You got that right!" said Femur. "Every square inch of this world has problems. Why can't there be peace in Hyrule anymore?"

_Ask the people who created it,_ Oni suggested rudely.

_Oni, be quiet! _Mystia demanded._  
><em>

"As for this Ashasti fellow," Femur spoke, "You say he was looking for the girl as well? Does he work for the Dark King?"

"That's what he told us the last time when we ran into him in Termina," Mystia mentioned.

Femur's jaw moved crookedly to one side and his eyes averted up as if he was pondering over the situation.

"That is all very interesting," he said.

Then, he stood up with a look of realization in his tiny eyes.

"Oh, skulls and crossbones!" he exclaimed. "I beg your pardon! I got so caught up in everything that I never asked if you needed somewhere to stay for the night. I have a camp not far from here with a comfortable tent. I'm sure you're tired and hungry from your long journey and could use some nourishment and rest."

"That's very kind of you Femur," Mystia said, "but I don't know if I feel comfortable with..."

"Oh, I see!" Femur guessed. "You don't trust me! That's quite understandable. You probably had some bad experiences with other stalfos. How about this? I can sleep outside and you two take the tent."

_That doesn't make it any better,_ she thought.

_Come on, Mystia,_ Oni said. _He's the least harmless stalfo__s you'll ever meet. If I were you, I would get some rest. Besides, he's nothing compared to us! I'll even stay on alert, just in c__ase._

Mystia looked up as if to look inside her head and smiled.

_Thanks, Oni, _Mystia said._  
><em>

She then looked at Femur.

"We would be delighted," she thanked. "Can you take us there?"

"Be glad to," replied Femur, "but first, answer me this question: are you a ghost?"

"Me?" Mystia said a bit taken back. "No, I'm not a ghost. I'm part deity."

"A deity?" He whistled. "That's a strong power there. Are you always like this?"

"No, I'm wearing a mask," Mystia replied. "I've been cursed by it. So has Oni."

"Who's Oni?" Femur asked.

"He's the original owner of this mask," said the deity girl. "He was trapped within it by his brother, Majora, many years ago."

"Fascinating!" Femur said with interest. "How long have you been like this?"

_Two months, five days, twenty hours-_ Oni started to say._  
><em>

"Too long to count," she answered painfully from all the numbers.

"Then you must have some incredible skills," Femur guessed.

"Yeah, except directions," Mystia groaned. "We don't even know where in Hyrule we're located. The Happy Mask Salesman said we should be in Faron Woods."

"Which is correct!" Femur confirmed. "We are about twenty five miles away from the Kokiri Forest."

"The what?" Mystia said with curiosity.

"The Kokiri Forest," Femur repeated. "It's where the Kokiri children live."

"How much do you know about Hyrule?" Scrubs asked.

"I know the ins and outs of all of Hyrule. I used to travel a lot." Femur rubbed his skull sheepishly. "It's sort of a hobby of mine."

"Wow!" Mystia commented. "We could use an expert on Hyrule to help us out! Would you like to join us on our quest?"

"Well, I...I am honored by your statement," the Stalfos said pleased. "I would be glad to join your company on your quest."

"Great!" the girl said.

Mystia then heard Scrubs yawn.

"So, where's the sleeping grounds?" the deity asked.

* * *

><p>Izzy: COOOOOOLLLLL!<p>

Oni: Oh, no! You HAD to add more people?

*Femur walks in*

Femur: Allo! Pleasure to meet your acquaintance!

Scrubs: WHA!

Izzy: I created Femur with the assistance of my lovely older sister, Phyllis. This was made for you, Henry the Wise! Thanks for your betas!

Roecliff: Oh, right! You won't put me in a story, but you'll make a character for someone else. I see who the favorite is!

Izzy: So now, we have new people joining Mystia's journey. A skeleton that's a pacifist and has aichmophobia. Go figure!

Oni: *v* Heh heh! *draws out sword and points it at Femur*

Femur: O.O Put that down, please!

Izzy: O.O Oni, you don't want to do that!

Roecliff: Before this gets messy, review quickly!


	14. No, Fetch! NO!

Izzy: Hello again everyone!

Femur: Oh, this is marvelous!

Izzy: Summary! Femur and Fetch, a Stalfos and a Wolfos, join up with Mystia and Scrubs on their quest to Hyrule. Let's see what happens next!

Femur: Oh, I'm so excited!

Oni: SHUT UP!

Disclaimer: I'm really getting tired of this! I don't own anything Zelda related...grrr...

* * *

><p>She saw the beast again in her nightmares. Its wild red mane flowed with no wind and its demonic red eyes glistened with anger. This time, however, it morphed into a dark-skinned, muscular man. His smile brought shivers down her spine. He was saying something to her, but she couldn't hear what he was saying.<p>

He pulled out a dark blade to attack her, but that was when she snapped her white eyes open. She stared at the top of the tent, laying on a few blankets and pillows. She heard the sound of Scrubs snoring next to her. When he exhaled, it was more of a squeak than a snore. Mystia couldn't help but give a small grin.

_Ugh!_ She heard Oni say with annoyance. _That Deku nut has been snoring like that for days! Could you stuff some leaves into his knot for a mouth? It's driving me crazy!_

_How long have we been asleep?_ She asked him.

_I've been up all night hearing this piece of bark squeaking in his sleep and the first thing that comes to your mind is what the time is?_ Oni complained._  
><em>

_I would be grateful if you told me, _Mystia asked again._  
><em>

_Fine,_ Oni groaned. _It's been five days according to fast time..._

_Fast time?_ Mystia asked. _You mean, you kept track of the real time?_

_Like I had said bef__ore, it keeps__ me busy, _the deity boy reminded. _It's actually only been seven hours._

_That's enough for me,_ the girl sighed in thought._  
><em>

Mystia stood up carefully, not to wake up Scrubs, and gently walked out of the tent. A mist formed on the ground and the air felt chilly to her pale skin. There was a fire pit with flames already roaring.

She walked over to it and sat down, staring into the blaze. She held up her hands to it, feeling the heat warm her up. A spark flew onto her hand, causing her to flinch and pull back quickly. She looked into the fire and saw images of the town burning to the ground.

Dead people were lying around...along with her family...

_Mystia? _Oni spoke._  
><em>

She snapped back to reality and noticed a wet tear leaking out from her eyes. She wiped it away quickly.

_It's been a while since I thought about it,_ she thought to herself.

_It still bothers you,_ Oni said to her._ Do you want to talk about it?_

_Talk? You can read my thoughts! _Mystia pointed out bluntly._  
><em>

_Yes, but I don't invade them entirely_, Oni mentioned to her._ We made an agreement on that, remember? And besides, I want to hear it from you._

Mystia looked toward the fire with a huff.

_I'd rather not talk about it, _Mystia replied._  
><em>

_If you don't talk about it, it's only going to bother you more, _Oni told her._ Please...do this for your own sake._

_I don't want to talk about it,_ Mystia told him again._ Just leave me alone!_

_What is wrong with you?_ Oni said with a tone of frustration in his voice._ You get mad at me for not telling you about what was wrong with me, and now you're denying me the right to know what is wrong with you? You better tell me what's going on!_

_I don't have to tell you anything! _Mystia replied._ You don't belong in my life!_

_Oh, so invading mine is okay! _Oni said._  
><em>

_It...it doesn't matter! _the girl snapped._ Just shut up and leave me alone!_

_Fine! Whatever! _the boy exclaimed._  
><em>

_Good riddance!_ the deity girl replied back._  
><em>

"Good morning, miss!" said a British voice.

She looked up from the fire to see Femur and Fetch enter the campsite from the woods. She took a deep breath before greeting him with a smile.

"Good morning, Femur," she replied.

"Hoped you slept well," he mentioned. "I never knew a deity needed more than eight hours of sleep. Then again, time has been unusually fast lately."

_Tell me about it!_ Mystia thought.

Fetch approached her, carrying a stick between his teeth. He laid it down at Mystia's feet, placed a paw on her lap, and gave her the sad eyes. He even threw in a whine, which made Mystia smile.

"Okay, as I promised," she told the wolfos. She picked up the stick and Fetch leapt back, wagging his tail frantically, and jumped around, waiting for Mystia to throw it. It barked a couple times before Mystia gave a good pitch with the stick toward the woods. Fetch took off after it with even more barks.

"You really shouldn't encourage him," Femur warned. "He can go on for hours no matter how tired you are.

As if on cue, Fetch returned with the stick, placed it again at Mystia's feet, and wagged and panted for attention.

Mystia heard a squeaky yawn and looked back to see Scrubs, stretching his stubby arms in the air. He then ruffled his golden brown-leafed hair and shook his head as if he was trying to wake himself up. She then heard a bark and watched as Fetch took off towards the Deku.

Scrubs, who noticed this, squealed in fear as the wolfos pounced him.

"Fetch, NO!" Femur commanded.

Fetch didn't respond and grabbed Scrubs' tiny body with his teeth. He then brought the squealing Deku to Mystia, dropping him before her and started panting again.

Scrubs, covered in teeth marks and saliva, shook himself hard, stood up and looked at the wolfos dead in the eyes.

"I am NOT a chew toy, you crazy beast!" he yelled at Fetch.

Mystia couldn't take it anymore. She started laughing: a true, hearty laugh. After a while, she stopped laughing and looked at Scrubs, his eyes narrowed in annoyance. She then heard Oni laughing.

_That was priceless! _He told her. _Even _you _found that funny!_

"Sorry, Scrubs," Mystia chuckled. "I couldn't help it. It was too adorable."

"Adorable!" Scrubs exclaimed. "He thinks I'm a stick!"

"Well, you _are_ a Scrub," Mystia pointed out. "You're made of wood."

"Don't you think I know that?" Scrubs said with frustration. "You know how long these teeth marks are going to stay on my body? Forever! There is no cure for damaged wood!"

It was Femur's turn to laugh.

"Oh, that tickles the humorous!" he said with a sigh.

"That's not very funny!" Scrubs shouted.

Mystia and Femur kept laughing. Fetch nudged Scrubs with his nose and whined as if to say 'Sorry. Fetch thought you were fetching stick. Forgive me?'

Scrubs glared at Fetch with anger, but it faded into guilt. Fetch whined again and Scrubs gave a sigh.

"Well, at least I'm still in one piece," Scrubs spoke. He carefully placed his arm on the wolfos' head. "Okay, I forgive you."

Fetch barked happily and gave Scrubs a sloppy kiss on his face.

"Ew! No! Please stop!" Scrubs squealed.

_Mystia,_ Oni said to her, _I think that's the first time I ever heard you laugh._

Mystia realized it as well and smiled. She hadn't laughed like that since she left Meladon. It actually felt good to laugh again.

"Well, enough with the jokes," Femur announced. "Let's pack up the camp and get moving. We have a trail to track."

Everyone, including Fetch, pitched in to help tear down the tent and pack up their belongings. Once everyone finished, Femur placed the stuff in his side pouch he carried and then picked up a giant hammer.

Mystia had just noticed it and gave him a worried look.

"Um...I thought you don't carry weapons," she said nervously.

"Pardon?" Femur asked, then realized she was looking at the hammer. "Oh! This thing? Oh, no, no, no, no, no! This is not a weapon. I use it to clear paths of boulders and trees that get in the way. It's been quite handy when I travel."

Mystia raised an eyebrow in confusion, but then lowered it. The fact that Femur was a pacifist came to mind and drove the fear out of her as she smiled.

"Okay, then," she admitted. "Let's get going."

* * *

><p>Mystia was truly amazed by how well Femur knew his way through the woods. Everything looked the same to her. The trees were all lined up in rows. Femur led the way, holding a lantern, Mystia was on Starfire right behind him and Scrubs, who was reluctant of the idea at first, rode on the back of Fetch. The deity girl still gave off her glow so she could take in her surroundings.<p>

"Femur," Mystia spoke up, breaking the silence. "How do you know you're in the right part of the woods?"

"Don't you fear, Miss Deity," Femur stated, looking back at her. "I know these woods like the back of my hand."

_I thought I would point out,_ Oni said, _that his hand is all bone. Just saying._

Mystia started to get nervous. She fumbled absentmindedly with the green blanket that she kept next to Starfire in a sack.

"You know," Scrubs said aloud, "riding on the back of a wolfos isn't so bad. I could get used to this."

Right then, Fetch stopped to sniff the air. Then, with a loud howl, he dashed off deeper into the woods with Scrubs holding on for dear life.

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!" he squealed in fear. "HEEEELLLLLLPPPPP MMMMMEEEEEEEEEE!"

"SCRUBS!" Mystia shouted.

"FETCH! YOU DUMB MUTT!" Femur cried out.

"Femur!" Mystia said to him frantically. "Hop on! Quick!"

Femur rushed over and quickly got on. Then, with a harsh kick from Mystia, Starfire bolted after the wolfos and the Deku.

"That mutt better have a good reason for taking off like that," Femur growled.

Mystia was only thinking of Scrubs. Who knew what that wolfos was up to. She wasn't going to find out. Scrubs was a close friend to her. If she lost him, she just wouldn't forgive herself.

They chased after Fetch for what seemed like hours (which it could have been). They were getting close to them when, suddenly, Starfire stopped. She gave a startling neigh and heaved herself upwards, kicking her front hooves.

This caused Mystia and Femur to tumble off and land on the ground. Starfire kept jumping and Mystia was just starting to sit up when the chestnut mare bolted toward the other direction.

"Starfire! Wait!" Mystia called out, but the horse was out of sight. "What got into her?"

"Miss?" she heard Femur say.

Mystia turned and looked at Femur, who was in pieces. Everywhere, his arms, legs, and other assorted bones were scattered about. Mystia crawled over to the skull, which was still intact.

"Are you okay, Femur?" she asked him.

"Oh, I'm just fine, miss," Femur replied politely, "but I don't like it when I'm all over the place. It's quite embarrassing. Could you help me pull myself back together?"

"Sure," the girl replied.

_Actually, I like him this way,_ Oni said.

Mystia carefully picked up the pieces and put them back together with Femur guiding her along the way.

"Now, put that bone inside the leg...no, the left...left leg. Good! Now, that bone goes in the right hand...no, right. Right! There you go! Oh, be careful with the hip bones! OW!"

It went on like this until, at last, Mystia picked up the skull and handed it to Femur to put on himself. He put it on and stretched his neck from side to side to pop in back in place.

"Ah, much better," he said, rubbing his neck.

Both deity and stalfos stood up. Mystia brushed herself off while Femur leaned backwards, popping his back in place with a sigh of relief.

"Why did Starfire act like that?" Mystia inquired aloud. "There's nothing here that could have scared her like that."

"Except maybe that," Femur said, pointing his bony finger behind her.

When she turned around, she saw a dark tunnel that lead to another part of the woods.

"What's in there?" she asked.

"The Sacred Meadow." Femur replied. "Not too many people know about that place."

"Then how do you know?" Mystia asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I've been through it," Femur informed her. "It took awhile, though, but I eventually found my way here. Wouldn't have been easy if we were on the other side of it. You would have to go through the Lost Woods before you got there."

"The Lost Woods?" the girl cringed. "Doesn't sound promising."

"It is said that if a hylian enters into these woods and gets lost, they would become a stalfos," Femur said.

That perked Mystia's interest. "Were you a hylian when you entered the woods?"

"Oh, no!" Femur replied with a wave of his hand. "I've always been a stalfos. However, being a hylian yourself, I wouldn't suggest going in there. It's too risky for you."

_Too risky?_ Oni commented proudly. _We can get through it with no problem. We're deities! No sacred wood would make us into skeletons!_

_We maybe deities, Oni,_ Mystia said, _but we're hylians as well._

_No, I'm a Termainian,_ Oni corrected._  
><em>

_Either way, we are still vulnerable,_ Mystia said._  
><em>

"Miss? Are you alright?" Femur asked with worry.

Mystia looked up at Femur, who was looking at her with curiosity.

"I'm alright," she replied with a smile. "I was just talking to Oni."

"He talks to you?" Femur asked.

Mystia nodded in reply. "He always talks to me, even when there are times that he is better off holding his tongue."

_Hey! Come on! _Oni said taking offense.

Femur looked at her even more curious than before, but seemed to lose interest when he shrugged his shoulders and glanced back at the tunnel.

"So," Mystia said, heading toward the tunnel, "Shall we?"

Femur looked at her confused. "Didn't I just tell you that you could possibly turn into a stalfos?"

"I heard you," Mystia confirmed, "but we need to find Scrubs and Fetch. I'm willing to take my chances. Let's move."

Mystia walked through the tunnel with Femur right behind them.

* * *

><p>Izzy: Oh, no! Poor Scrubs and Fetch have disappeared into the woods!<p>

Oni: YES!

Scrubs: Hey!

Izzy: Now, Mystia and Femur must find Scrubs and Fetch in the Sacred Meadow and the Lost Woods. Will they find them? Will they possibly get...lost...in the Lost Woods? We'll find out next chapter!

Femur: :.( FEEEEEEEEEETCH!

Roecliff: (T_T;) Please be kind and review.


	15. Lost and Found

Izzy: Welcome back! I hope you are enjoying my story so far!

Scrubs: It's about time, too!

Oni: I was about to form a riot! *looking at Scrubs and Femur* but I DIDN'T have any volunteers.

Izzy: Summary! So Fetch takes off with poor Scrubs on his back and now Mystia and Femur have to go after them in...The Lost Woods.

Scrubs: Duh duh duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnn!

Oni: Oh, give me a break!

Femur: Can we start now, miss authoress?

Izzy: After weeks of redo's, LET'S START!

Disclaimer: I still wish that all Zelda things were mine...

* * *

><p>The Sacred Meadow would have been a beautiful place if it hadn't been so dark. Mystia took in her surroundings with the brightest glow she could make. The top of the walls were made of stone leaving the bottom of it showing its true exterior of rock and earth. Little auras floated all around. Some were just small and round while others were long and flowed around until they burst into nothing. Nearby to her right was a very wide stump. Next to it was a high ledge with pillars on either side of a doorway. A tall tree with no leaves stood next to the ledge high enough that the one branch it had hung over it. In the middle of the clearing was a huge, white platform with a giant symbol of a swirling wind vortex.<p>

The place felt peaceful. Mystia closed her eyes to soak in the atmosphere around her. She really liked it here.

"Miss?" She heard Femur say.

Mystia opened her eyes and looked over to her left where he was standing. Near him were a set of stairs.

"This is the way to go," he said. "Come on."

_Do we really have to?_ Oni whined. _We could just forget about the shrub._

Mystia nodded to Femur and walked towards the stairs, partially ignoring what Oni said. The stairs led them to a wall with two directions to go. It looked like there used to be a ladder before them, but it was broken in pieces.

"I wonder what did that?" Mystia asked.

"You got me," Femur answered with a shrug, "but we don't need it. I know a way through this maze."

"Maze?" Mystia said with contained surprise. "You never mentioned that there was a maze here?"

"Don't worry, Miss Deity," the Stalfos assured. "I can get us through here in no time at all!"

They took a left, jumped and swam through a hole filled with water, and climbed out on the other side. As they continued through, Mystia became more confused than ever. She had no idea where they were; even with her height, there was no way she could look over it.

"We're getting close," Femur told her. "I can feel it in my bones."

_He can feel it in his bones?!_ Oni exclaimed. _That should tell you something!_

They turned at each corner until they came to a slightly wide clearing with a doorway blocked by something big.

It looked like a statue made of iron armor. It was about as tall as Mystia's giant height. It wielded a large double sided sword facing down in both hands and a long rapier on its side. It stood at attention as if it was waiting for its next command.

Mystia started to approach it.

"NO!" Femur shouted. Don't go near that!"

Mystia stopped in her tracks and glanced back at Femur confused.

"That's a Darknut," he informed. "Those things are even more dangerous than a stalfos. If you touch it, it could kill you before you can blink!"

"I never knew a stalfos could be so helpful to someone less fortunate!" spoke a slick voice.

Mystia knew that voice. She turned and looked up with a glare.

Ashasti, in his black and yellow, was resting on top of the Darknut, grinning like a mischievous child.

"I also never thought," Ashasti continued, "that one would dare pair up with the enemy."

_Mother of Twinmold! _Oni said, frustrated. _Him again!_

"Who's the enemy?" Femur asked in confusion.

"You translate," Ashasti stated, grinning from ear to ear. He then looked at Mystia. "Might I ask what you did with your piece of shrubbery? Did you finally ditch him?"

_I wish!_ Oni commented.

"Why should it matter to you?" Mystia replied angrily. "Don't you have other things to do in your spare time?"

"My, my," Ashasti said, standing up straight. "Aren't we touchy? I was only stopping by to say hello. When I saw you enter the woods, I just couldn't help but 'check' on your progress."

"I think you forgot our last meeting," Mystia pointed out as she drew her weapon. "It was really messy when we departed. We're not exactly on 'friendly' terms."

"I know we didn't start off too well," Ashasti confirmed deviously. "You actually made me very upset. All those things I said to you back in Clock Town were only an example of my hatred towards you."

He chuckled again and took a couple steps forward. "I can assure you, however, that I became a little more forgiving since then. Which is why I want to make it up to you."

"What does he mean by that?" Femur whispered to Mystia.

_Mystia! White shadow! _Oni warned._  
><em>

Her vision changed to the eyes of truth. She saw what Oni saw: a white shadow standing in between Ashasti and the statue.

"Don't try your tricks on me again, Ashasti!" she replied. "You don't want to make the same mistake twice!"

"Oh, don't worry!" he said devilishly. "I won't. I've learned from the last time. This time, think of this as a 'Welcome to Hyrule' present."

He snapped his fingers and Mystia got ready to move. However, this time, the white shadow went inside what Femur called the Darknut. Mystia couldn't see it anymore, so she had her eyes switched back to normal.

She glanced to where Ashasti was standing only to find him gone.

"I would love to stay and enjoy your present," she heard his voice ring out, "but just like you said, I have other things to take care of. Have fun! Ta ta!"

She then heard movement coming from the statue. She looked over at it and realized that it had shifted.

"Oh, dear!" Femur exclaimed nervously. "This is not good!"

Then the statue turned its head towards Mystia. It raised its sword in the air with a battle cry. Then, it slowly made its way towards her.

_Really?_ Mystia thought disapprovingly. _This is the best he can come up with?_

_He did say that he was more forgiving,_ Oni stated. _Then again, this is ridiculous! Could__ he have brought__ on something harder?_

Mystia gave her sword a swing, sending a blast of white energy head on at the Darknut. A piece of armor fell off of him, but it didn't stop him from swinging his giant sword at her. Luckily, Mystia dodged out of the way. Femur ran the other way freaking out.

"Please, no!" Femur exclaimed. "I don't like pointy things!"

The Darknut growled and came up to attack her again. Mystia constantly swung her sword, hitting the creature with both blade and white energy. At last, the creature had no armor, revealing nothing except what appeared to be a body wrapped in black cloth and mail. Mystia's first thought was a dead mummy. It got angry and threw the sword towards her. Mystia ducked in time with it almost touching her cap.

Then, the Darknut gave a shout and from the earth came strange monsters that looked brown and pruned. They groaned as they crawled out from the earth.

"REDEAD!" Femur shouted.

The redead gave a loud shriek. It was so loud and high pitched that Mystia became frozen in fear. The Darknut drew its rapier, tossed the sheath aside, and began to approach her. It started to swing, but Mystia was able to move again and jumped out of the way. The redead tried to walk towards her slowly while the Darknut chased her down.

"Femur!" Mystia cried out and looking at the stalfos. "A little help here!"

"I'm a pacifist!" he shouted back. "I don't like fighting!"

_He's useless!_ Oni exclaimed.

Mystia turned back around and had not realized that the Darknut was on top of her with his sword raised up and ready to swing. Before she could react in time, the Darknut brought his sword upon her shoulder, gouging it. She gave a scream as black blood seeped from her white tunic.

_AUGH!_ She heard Oni cry. _It hurts!_

She dropped her sword as she grasped her arm in pain. She heard the sound of footsteps approaching fast behind her as the Darknut swung his blade. She then fell to her knees, causing the Darknut miss her head. She felt the rush of wind as the blade flew over, but then she heard a 'thunk' as the sword stopped midway through.

"Ow!" she heard Femur cry out.

Then, she noticed a change in atmosphere.

"NO ONE HITS ME WITH A SWORD!" she heard Femur say. She had expected his British accent to come out, but instead she heard more of a deeper growl. "YOU WILL PAY! HAMMER TIME!"

The next thing she knew, she saw the Darknut take off in the other direction. Jumping right over her was Femur holding the large hammer over his head. He was acting like a wild caveman! His eyes were shining a bright red in hatred. He slammed the hammer onto the redeads, which caused them to blow up in smoke.

_Well, _this _was unexpected,_ Oni said in a state of shock.

Mystia watched with horror as Femur killed all but the Darknut. He slowly faced the white shadow-possessed statue in fury. He was hunched over and roared loudly. She noticed his eyes burning with fire.

"YOUR TURN!" He growled and took off toward the Darknut.

The creature screamed in horror as Femur smashed his hammer on top of it. It exploded into a puff of smoke.

_Mystia, the white shadow is heading your way! _Oni shouted with a grimace._  
><em>

She picked up her weapon quickly, had her eyes reverted to the eyes of truth, and saw the white shadow approach her at lightning speed. She thrust her sword towards it caused it to run into the double helix blade. It disappeared in white pieces like the other shadows she had killed.

She lowered her sword and looked towards Femur, who was breathing heavily. She was afraid to say anything to him thinking that he might attack her next. Then, she saw him straighten up. His eyes faded back down to the pea-sized yellow and he had a wide eyed expression across his face.

"Wha... what happened?" she heard Femur say in his normal British accent. "Where did all the monsters go?"

"You..." Mystia said in weariness and confusion, "...you don't remember what you did?"

"Wha...what do you mean by...what I did? What did I do?" Femur stuttered with worry.

"You...you killed them," Mystia told him.

Femur looked at her in shock. "I...I did? I did all that?"

Mystia nodded her head slowly and Femur started to look sick.

"I...I remember running up to...to help," Femur said in a slight panic, "...I...I killed...I did...I...oh, dear! I think I'm going to throw up!"

Mystia groaned in pain due to her shoulder and fell onto her knees again. The blade hit her really hard. She observed her shoulder again. Most of the sleeve of the tunic was covered in black blood instead of the normal red blood she had been used to seeing. She pushed the sleeve out of the way and saw the huge wound. It was so severely deep that she was surprised that her arm didn't fall off entirely.

_How was that even possible?_ She thought as she winced at the sight of the wound. She quickly turned away in disgust.

_We're deities,_ Oni answered painfully. _We don't fall apart that easily. Now instead of looking at it while it gets infected_, _could you do something with that shoulder? It really hurts._

_I would if I could! _Mystia groaned._ And how can you feel the pain?  
><em>

_I thought we've been over this, _Oni said._ We're a part of each other. I feel, smell, see, and hear everything that you do._

_What about taste? _Mystia asked._  
><em>

_It doesn't matter how I taste at the moment! _Oni exclaimed with his voice sounding out of breath._ Augh! Just please, do something!_

"Oh, that looks bad," she heard Femur say.

She looked up as Femur knelt next to her. He still looked green from the fact that he killed off a bunch of dead people and had not known it.

"I don't like the sight of this," he groaned. "It may not look like blood, but it's blood non the less."

He grabbed his large pouch and rummaged through it. He pulled out a bottle of red liquid and popped the cork off. He then offered it to her.

"Drink this," he told her. "It will help you feel better."

Mystia did as she was told. She took the bottle and took a big gulp. The liquid tasted horrid and Mystia nearly spat it out.

"Gross!" she exclaimed. "What is that stuff?"

"It's called a healing potion," Femur said. "It helps cure almost any ailment or wound."

Suddenly, she gasped in pain. She felt her shoulder being put together like someone was stitching her up. She grabbed it and looked at it. The blood on her tunic was still there, but when she pulled it away, she saw that her shoulder was back to normal. Not one bit of a scar or cut was seen. At the same time, she felt more energy like she did when she drank Romani milk. She looked up at Femur in surprise.

"Thanks, Femur!" she told him. "I greatly appreciate it."

"No trouble at all, miss," Femur said as he offered his hand.

Mystia took it gladly and she was pulled up to her feet. She noticed a crooked bone in Femur's arm. He seemed to have noticed it as well for he grabbed it without looking and adjusted it.

"I'm assuming that man you spoke with is this Ashasti fellow?" Femur asked.

"You got that right," she said with a growl.

"Well, he seems a bit polite for a villain," Femur commented.

_Polite?_ Oni huffed. _That's the last thing he is._

"He's a creeper, that's what he is," Mystia mentioned.

Femur looked away thoughtfully.

"He's just a very interesting fellow, indeed."

He looked back at Mystia and said, "Might I ask, though, what exactly happened after all that? All I remember was getting hit in the head with that Darknut's blade."

"You were serious when you said that you don't remember anything that just happened?" Mystia asked in shock.

"That's right!" Femur nodded.

_Sounds like he has some personality issues,_ Oni said with a humorous tone. _Or maybe he has short term memory loss. That could be worse. _

Mystia heard a scream. It sounded just like Scrubs. She looked toward the dark tunnel before them.

"Well, it sounds like we're heading the right direction," she stated. "Come on!"

She dashed toward the tunnel with Femur right behind her.

* * *

><p>There were three tunnels that all looked the same to Mystia. She couldn't figure out which way to go.<p>

"I assume you know where to go from here, right?" Mystia asked Femur.

Femur was silent for a moment, observing his surroundings.

"Nope!" he announced. "I've never been good at this kind of maze."

"Femur!" Mystia exclaimed.

"I'm serious!" Femur told her. "This is the Lost Woods. It is meant to be confusing!"

_I knew it!_ Oni said frustrated. _He's the enemy and we're the hunted, but did you listen to me? Noooo! You thought it was a great idea to follow a stalfos, who could possibly kill us, into a wood where you could get lost! You would rather befriend him and become bosom buddies!_

_Shut up, Oni! I can't think with your nagging! _Mystia snapped at him._  
><em>

"Hoot hoot!"

Mystia turned and looked up. Up high in a tree sat a very big owl. It was brown and tan with a huge beak and very long feathers coming from its eyes and going beyond its head. It looked down at them with its wide eyes.

"Oh, no!" Femur said with annoyance. "Not him again!"

"Who?" the owl said.

"What are you talking about, Femur?" Mystia asked confused. "It's just an owl. A very large owl, but an owl."

"That owl is Kaepora Gaebora," he stated. "He's the most annoying owl ever known to man!"

"I would prefer to be called the owl sage."

Mystia glanced at the bird with wide, white eyes. _Did it just talk?_

"You look like you're lost," the owl continued. "And you also appeared to have been in a battle with an evil man."

"Tell us something we don't bloody know!" Femur said in frustration.

"You, young deity," it said to Mystia, "appear to be on a special mission to find the blade that will break the curse that is upon you."

"H-how did you know that?" Mystia asked nervously.

"I am the owl sage of Hyrule," the owl replied. "I know everything."

"Oh, _sure_ you do!" Femur said sarcastically. "Just like you would know how to get us out of these woods, right?"

"Oh, yes, I can tell you how to get out," the owl informed.

Mystia liked the sound of that. "How? Please tell us!"

"Shhhh...listen..." the creature whispered.

Mystia perked her pointed ears to listen. She then heard the sound of a wolfos howl. She recognized it as Fetch.

Mystia looked back up and saw the owl's head upside down. It looked like a different face entirely.

"If you follow that mysterious sound," the owl continued, "then you will find your way out of here. Would you like for me to repeat that?"

"NO!" Femur shouted, shaking his arms frantically. "GO AWAY, YOU BLOODY OWL!"

The owl flipped its head around to normal.

"I do hope you find what you are looking for," the owl saluted. "Good luck. HOOT HOOT!"

That, the owl took off in flight and disappeared behind the trees.

Mystia listened for Fetch's howl. She heard it again and walked around the area until she could hear it louder in one of the tunnels.

"This way, Femur," she said and took off in the tunnel.

She found herself in a similar area, but continued to follow the howl. At the same moment, she heard the squeal of her little Deku friend. She followed the sounds through each tunnel. She had passed a small pond with a sign that she didn't bother to read. She then passed what looked like a stone doorway leading down a very dark, rocky tunnel. She was about to go through it until she heard the howl again. She turned the other direction and continued. She saw another clearing and realized that, to her left, was a ladder leading down into a small crater. The howl grabbed her attention again and she followed it out.

Once again, she ran into another clearing. This time, she heard the sounds of kids yelling in another tunnel accompanied by the squeals and howls. She followed the sounds once more and finally, after much running, found herself inside a much larger area. She heard the sounds even louder from below the tall ledge she was standing upon. She looked over a gate and down at the scene below.

She spotted Scrubs, who was running away from a bunch of children, carrying little spears and wooden shields, shouting at the top of their little lungs.

"Kill the Deku!" they cried out. "Kill the Deku!"

* * *

><p>Izzy: Oh, no! Vicious Kokiri!<p>

Scrubs: o.o ...help...

Oni: *v* Heh heh!

Femur: O.o I don't really do that, do I?

Fetch: *whine*

Roecliff: O.O This is what I waited for after all that time? What's with this?

Izzy: Ashasti is playing games with Mystia now. This time, Mystia got hurt and we saw a side of Femur that we have never seen before!

Femur: I DID! *buries head in hands*

Izzy: And now, they have managed to get through the Lost Woods and are witnessing the Kokiri ready to 'kill the Deku!' What will happen to our brave little Scrubs?

Oni: Brave? Yeah, right!

Scrubs: HEY!

Izzy: What will Mystia do next? Find out next chapter!

Roecliff: Before we move along with our happy fanfic lives...WHAT'S WITH THE OWL GUY!

Izzy: Geez! Get over yourself! He's just in that one scene...maybe...

Roecliff: O.o What is that suppose to mean!

Izzy: Review, please! ^-^


	16. It Talks!

Izzy: Howdy!

Roecliff: Welcome back, everyone! I hope you guys are enjoying these stories...even though it too FOREVER!

Izzy: Not my fault! I did it at the suggestion of another author.

Roecliff: Note the word, 'suggestion'...

Izzy: Summary! Poor Scrubs is being chased down by a bunch of little children with weapons! Will Mystia save her little friend? What will happen to our favorite Deku?

Scrubs: Will I live? Will I live?

Oni: I hope not!

Scrubs: (ToT) Meanie!

Izzy: Let's find out!

Disclaimer: Do I own Zelda? NO! NO I DON'T!

* * *

><p>"Kill the Deku!" the children shouted. "Kill the Deku!"<p>

"Help me!" Scrubs exclaimed, running as fast as his little legs could carry him.

Mystia watched from above with Femur standing next to her. From afar, she heard a wolfos howl.

"Oh, no!" Femur said with worry. "Fetch!"

Mystia looked around, then spotted Fetch with a rope around his neck and tied to a fence. He was jumping and hollering like a sad pup wanting to escape. He was being guarded by two other children, both boys with their eyes covered by red hair and holding hand-made spears that looked more like oversized arrows. The boys were using them to poke and prod at Fetch.

"I've got to stop them!" Mystia declared.

She jumped over the fence, landing onto the ground with a rumble. She rushed over to the children, who stopped to see this strange white giant that appeared before them.

She noticed that they were wearing armor made of bark and leaves. Their helmets were used Deku nuts. Some carried ordinary sticks and wooden shields while others carried spears that were made of sticks with sharp pieces of rock attached with vines. They all appeared aggressive and determined as if they were ready for battle.

"Mystia! It's you!" she heard Scrubs say.

She observed as he quickly waddled towards her. "Thank goodness! These kids are trying to kill me!"

"What are you?" cried out one of the children.

He wore the bark and leafed armor and carried a spear. His cheeks were chubby and had freckles speckled on them. His hair was red as well, but it was short, revealing his big childish blue eyes.

"The Great Mido demands a response!" he continued harshly. "Speak! Who are you?"

_How rude!_ Oni said disapprovingly.

"I'm Mystia," she replied gently. "I come here in peace."

"Peace?" the one called the Great Mido shouted. "You are nothing but creatures of darkness! You cause chaos and destruction to our forest! Your kind is not welcome here!"

_Creatures of darkness?_ Oni exclaimed. _It's bad enough that I had been called a demon, but a creature of darkness? That kid needs to know his place!_

"I'm not here to hurt you!" Mystia tried to tell the children. "I just..."

"Kill the giant!" the Great Mido cried.

"Kill the giant!" the children shouted.

"This isn't good," Scrubs said nervously.

_Where are their parents?_ Oni said with a huff. _They should learn the meaning of the word 'respect'! Corporal punishment must be carried out!_

The children raced towards Mystia, spears and sticks in hand. Mystia was about to grab her weapon from behind...

"WAIT! STOP!" shouted a child's voice.

All the children ceased and turned behind them. Among the crowd was a small girl with green hair and eyes. She stood out among the children wearing no armor, showing her outfit to be a dark green sweater underneath a green jumper, brown boots, and a green hair band. She looked sternly at the children.

"They mean no harm," the girl informed. "They are not our enemy."

"But, Saria!" exclaimed the Great Mido. "She's a giant! Giants are known to be bad! And what about the wolfos and the Deku? They've always been our enemy!"

"These people are different, Mido!" Saria shouted. "Just because they look different from us doesn't make them the enemy!"

Mido was about to say something, but shut his mouth with a growl.

"Now," Saria continued, looking at all the children, "everyone put away your weapons and release the wolfos immediately!"

The children stood silent and stared at Saria with confusion.

"Now!" she demanded.

Then the kids lowered their weapons and went their way. The two boys that guarded Fetch untied the rope around his neck. Fetch dashed towards Mystia with a yelp. Mystia knelt down to the ground, welcoming Fetch's kisses of joy.

"Phew!" she heard Scrubs say. "I was about to become wood chips."

_Would have been better for him if he did,_ Oni said smugly.

"Are you guys okay?" a child voice asked.

Mystia glanced forward to see the green-haired girl looking at them. Mystia smiled at her.

"Yes, we're fine," she replied. "Thank you."

"What is your name?" the little girl asked.

"Oni Mystia," the deity replied, "but you can call me Mystia for short."

"Mystia..." she said. "An interesting name. I'm very sorry for my friend's reactions. They can be rash at times, but they have good reason."

"You said we were harmless," Mystia said remembering. "How would you know that?"

"I could sense it," Saria told her. "Something about you is different. I'm not sure of what it is, but you seem almost familiar. Like a long, lost friend of mine from long ago."

The girl looked up and smiled. "I think it's safe for your stalfos friend to come down now."

Mystia looked up into the same direction. Above her she saw Femur in the same spot where she left him. She motioned to him to come down and he responded with a dash down the ramp and a hop from the tall ledge. He rushed up to the group and stood in front of Fetch, who was panting the whole time.

"You dumb mutt!" he reprimanded Fetch. "What were you thinking taking off like that? You had us all worried!"

Fetch whined and lowered his head in shame.

"Don't be too hard on him, Femur," Scrubs spoke up in defense. "He was only chasing a fairy."

"What fairy?" Mystia asked curiously.

"Me!" shouted a tiny voice.

Out of nowhere came a ball of light with wings. It resembled the same fairy Mystia got from the Deku Princess.

"It nearly ate me!" the fairy exclaimed. "If the Kokiri hadn't shown up, I would have been its snack!"

Mystia looked at the floating pink ball. She didn't even know that fairies could talk.

"What kind of a fairy is that?" she asked Saria.

"Oh, this is my guardian fairy," Saria replied. "Each of us Kokiri have one that protects us."

Mystia heard Fetch barked playfully and looked at him. He started spinning around in excitement. Mystia looked back at the fairy and smiled. It was a reasonable size for Fetch to think of it as a ball.

"Sorry," she said apologetically. "Fetch just likes to play...well, fetch. He wouldn't hurt anyone on purpose."

"He is quite harmless," Femur informed. "He just wanted to play...like he _always_ does."

"That doesn't give him a right to attack me!" The fairy said and shook in anger.

"Calm down, Lavi," Saria said to the fairy. "Just be glad you didn't get eaten."

The fairy stopped, her wings lowering in a sigh. She went from the color pink to the color blue.

"Fine," she said calmly. "I understand."

Mystia looked Lavi in curiosity. She didn't even know fairies could change colors. She looked back at Saria.

"So, you're Kokiri?" Mystia asked Saria.

Saria nodded.

"So, where are the adults?" Mystia inquired.

Saria started giggling.

"What kind of a question is that?" Lavi asked offensively, turning a shade of purple.

"There aren't any adults in the Kokiri Forest," Saria replied to Mystia. "We may look like children, but we are actually a lot older than we appear."

"Really?" Scrubs said with a cock of his wooden head. "How old are you?"

"If I told you my age," Saria replied. "I would be older than before the time your four times great grandfather was born."

_Impossible!_ Oni said in surprise. _No one can live that long!_

_Oh really? _Mystia smirked. _How old are you?_

_That's different!_ Oni replied._ I'm cursed, remember? Time in here stops, so I never grow up._

_That might explain your maturity level,_ Mystia teased._  
><em>

_Hey!_ the boy said._  
><em>

"Wow!" Scrubs exclaimed. "How are you able to live that long?"

""We never grow up. We're immortal," Saria stated, then turned her gaze back at Mystia. "So, what brings you here to our forest?"

"I've come to search for the queen of Hyrule," Mystia replied. "I have something important to tell her. It's sort of urgent, considering the circumstances of this land."

Saria gave her a puzzled look.

"I think I know what you're thinking," Mystia stated calmly. "I am not the enemy. We had enough with bad guys ourselves. It took us a long time to get here because of Ashasti getting in our way."

"Ashasti?" Saria inquired.

"He's...a bit of a pain," Mystia grumbled. "He controls white shadows."

"He has used them to destroy villages and kill people," Scrubs stated. "He's even destroyed our own villages."

"White shadows?" Saria asked with wide eyes in interest.

"They're invisible creatures that possess things," Mystia confirmed. "When they possess Dekus, Zoras and Gorons, they get reverted back to their natural state like trees, rocks, and fish. When they possess people, they take over their whole being. They control them, making people go mad."

Saria looked down as if she was pondering.

"Interesting," she said. "That sounds similar to what's happened in..."

"What? What's happened?" Mystia asked curiously.

Saria looked up with sadness in her dark green eyes.

"This is important," Saria declared. "You must speak with the Great Deku Tree."

_The...Great Deku Tree?_ Oni said confused. _She wants us...to talk...to a tree. Now I know she's crazy!_

"The Great Deku Tree?" Mystia puzzled.

"He's the spirit of the forest that guards and protects this place and all who live in it," Saria replied. "He will be able to help you. Come, follow me."

Saria turned to the left and began walking away. Mystia and the others followed suit.

Mystia took into her surroundings with the glow around her shining brightly. The houses she saw resembled more of trees with rectangular holes for doorways. They were small enough for the Kokiri to live in, but big enough for a normal-sized hylian to squeeze into. She observed the Kokiri that were nearby. Still dressed for battle, they watched her with fearful eyes. Only Mido gave her a disgusted glare.

_The evil king has driven so much fear into them,_ Mystia thought with despair. _This place must have been very peaceful before he showed up and took that away from them. Even an innocent-looking race is ready for war._ Just the thought of it made her heart sink.

The group hopped across stone slabs over a small pond and walked towards a hall. Stone walls were aligned on each side, which confused Mystia.

"What's with the stone walls?" Mystia asked.

"We needed a way to protect the Great Deku Tree," Saria answered.

"From what?" Scrubs asked.

"Ever since the Dark King returned," Saria told them, "we feared he would destroy the Great Deku Tree again. We built this fortress to protect him from harm."

"Again?" Femur restated in question.

"Many years ago," Saria spoke, "the former Great Deku Tree was cursed by the Dark King. The curse was destroying him from the inside. Link, when he was a child, managed to destroy the curse, but he couldn't prevent the Great Deku Tree's death."

"He died?" Mystia asked sadly.

Saria still kept walking, but nodded in response.

"It left our forest unprotected from monsters," Saria continued. "Mido blamed Link for killing the Great Deku Tree, but I knew it wasn't his fault. We had no idea what to do. Then, the new Great Deku Tree grew, but we knew that he could become vulnerable. When darkness came back, we acted quickly. With the Great Deku Tree's permission, we asked the Gorons to build us this."

The group stopped before a giant, stone door. It was extremely tall for Mystia to see over. The design of it was a giant, branched, golden tree. In the center was a carved out hole as big as a Deku nut. Saria walked up to it and pulled from her side pouch a green orb.

"There's only one way in," she said as she placed the orb inside of the hole, "and one way out. These walls were infused with magic, so only I can open it with this orb."

The orb glowed and the doors separated, causing a perfect crack down the middle. Then, with creaks, moans, and scrapes, the doors opened. Right before them was a giant clearing. Further off was a giant tree. Mystia looked at it in wonder.

It was the biggest tree she had ever seen!

The base was so huge that it could take thirty Gorons to circle it. The branches were extending so far beyond the tree that it shaded most of the clearing. The group walked through the stone doors, which closed behind them with a 'thud'. As they got closer, Mystia noticed that the trunk of the tree had a huge knot in the middle and a pair of eyes and a mouth. It was as still as it should be.

"Great Deku Tree!" Saria shouted. "One named Oni Mystia would like to speak with you!"

_She's talking to a tree!_ Oni rudely commented. _Everyone knows that trees can't talk!_

No sooner had he said that, the tree suddenly blinked. Mystia gasped as the tree shifted its gaze down at them and gave the group a smile.

"Welcome travelers!" it spoke in a booming voice. "You have come a long way to get this far!"

_Mystia?_ Oni said in shock. _The tree...it talks..._

_You think I haven't noticed that?_ Mystia replied.

"By my phalanges!" she heard Femur say in awe. "A talking tree!"

She felt something holding her leg. She looked down to a shaking Scrubs.

"Mystia!" he said with a shiver. "It talks!"

Mystia patted his leafy head in comfort, then brought her gaze back up to the tree.

"We have, Great Deku Tree," Mystia said to him loudly. "We came to Hyrule to speak with the queen about-"

"I'm aware of your purpose here," the Great Deku Tree interrupted. "You've come here to tell her of the troubles outside of Hyrule. About a man known as Ashasti, who is causing chaos in other lands."

_Wow!_ She thought. _He's good!_

_Oh, right!_ Oni stated offensively. _You don't get upset at him when HE finishes your sentences._

"That's right, but how did you know?" Mystia asked.

"I am the spirit of the forest," the Great Deku Tree replied. "I hear and see everything that happens in this forest."

"Creepy," Scrubs stated.

"But it's strange," the Deku Tree continued. "I seem to sense a greater destiny within you, young warrior."

_A greater destiny?_ Mystia thought. _Me? What greater destiny do I have?_

"Great warrior," said the Deku Tree, "The queen indeed must hear what you have to say. I will show you the way to her."

"Really?" Mystia said wide-eyed. "You will?"

"The queen may be able to help you," it continued, "but you and your companions must remember that where you go is a secret place. No one else should know about it, so you must swear that you will speak of this to no one. Do you understand?"

Mystia looked back and, with her eyes, she asked if they would agree to it. Everyone nodded except Fetch, who was busily licking his fur. Mystia looked back at the Deku Tree.

"Yes, Great Deku Tree," Mystia said with a nod. "My promise is my life. We will speak of this to no one."

"Then enter through here," he told her.

Suddenly, from his lips, the giant tree opened up a doorway at the base of his trunk.

"One more thing before you enter," he said. "Oni Mystia, I feel that I must tell you this. You must remember that you are more than what you make yourself to be. There are greater things waiting for you, but you must accept and believe in yourself before they will come to you. Take to heart what I have said and may the goddesses of Hyrule be with you."

_Greater things?_ Mystia thought. _Accept and believe in myself? More than I make myself to be?What does all that mean?_

Mystia," she heard Scrubs say to her.

She looked down at the little Deku.

"Let's go!" he demanded. "We're finally going to meet the queen!"

Mystia nodded, then looked up at Saria, who was standing nearby.

"Saria," she said to the green-haired girl, "would you like to come with us?"

Saria shook her head.

"I have to stay here and help the others protect the tree," she informed her. "I hope you do find what you're looking for. I will be here to make sure you get out. See you soon."

Mystia gave a smile. "Thanks. I'll see you soon as well."

She turned back toward the tree, gave a sigh, then strode to the opening with Scrubs, Femur and Fetch right behind her. They went inside and heard the door behind them shut with a booming noise.

* * *

><p>Izzy: There you have it!<p>

Scrubs: (^0^) YAY! I live!

Oni: (T_T) Greeeeeaaaaaatt!

Izzy: Now, Mystia has met the Kokiri children, a little girl named Saria, and a Deku Tree that talks. Now, she is about to discover what is inside the Great Deku Tree. What will she find in there? Find out next chapter!

Femur: *happily* FETCH! YOU'RE OKAY! *Fetch barks and pounces Femur* Okay! Cut it out! No! Not the...AUGH!

Roecliff: ( O.O;) Quickly review! You don't want to watch this!

Izzy:( o.o;) OH MY GOSH!

Femur: FETCH! YOU DUMB MUTT! GIVE ME BACK MY RIBS! *Fetch barks*


	17. Inside the Deku Tree

Izzy: Amazing! The next chapter has arrived!

Scrubs: I can't wait to find out what happens!

Izzy: Summary! Mystia, Femur, Scrubs, and Fetch have arrived to the Kokiri Forest. Then, she meets the Great Deku Tree who advises her and shows her the way to find the queen.

Femur: Oh my! The queen! How exhilarating!

Izzy: Let's see what we find out!

Disclaimer: *slumps in corner of sadness* I wish I owned Zelda...

* * *

><p>Mystia's light revealed the dark room they were in. It was a wooden, circular room with a solid hard floor. Vines hung from above and crawled up the sides of the room. Bits of grass grew against the walls. Mystia noticed a set of stone stairs to her left leading down.<p>

"I think that's the way to go," Scrubs said.

_You think?_ Oni stated sarcastically.

"I agree, Scrubs," Mystia replied. "Let's get going."

"Are you sure that's the _only_ way to go?" Femur asked.

"Do you see any other doors or stairs in here?" Mystia asked incredulously.

Femur looked around, then back at Mystia and replied, "Nope! Let's press on then!"

As they descended the stairwell, Mystia pondered over what the Great Deku Tree said to her: "You are more than what you make yourself to be." What did he mean by that? It's true that Mystia was hiding her identity, but how would he know that? It's not like he can read her mind. As for the other thing he mentioned: "There are greater things waiting for you, but you must accept and believe in yourself before they will come to you." Accept and believe what? That she can defeat Ashasti? That she can protect the queen? What greater things will come? She hasn't had a single positive thing happen to her except for making new friends and making it to Hyrule. It didn't make sense to her at all. How important was she that the Great Deku Tree would tell her this?

They made it to the bottom of the stairs and spotted a door across from them. It appeared to be an ordinary door, but when Mystia approached it, a gate fell in front of it.

"Uh, oh!" Femur said.

Then, out from the darkness, a blade came up and touched Mystia's pale neck.

"Don't move!" said a voice next to her.

"Mystia!" Scrubs exclaimed. She then heard squealing and howling behind her.

"Please, put that down!" she heard Femur shout. "I don't like pointy things!"

"Please lower your weapons from the Stalfos," Mystia said nervously. "Trust me! You _want_ to put them down!"

"Who are you?" the voice demanded. "How did you get down here?"

"I'm Oni Mystia!" the deity girl replied quickly. "The Great Deku Tree told me where I can find the queen. He let me down here. Please! We mean you no harm!"

The voice was silent for a moment. Then, the blade left her throat.

"Lower your weapons!" the voice commanded.

Mystia turned around. Behind her, she saw Scrubs placed on the ground, Fetch released from two pairs of hands, and blades all around Femur lowered, eliciting a sigh of relief from the stalfos.

"Welcome, Oni Mystia," continued the voice.

Mystia glanced back toward the voice. This time, she saw a figure of a man. He had blond hair and brown eyes, wore a blue tunic with an emblem of a gold bird with its wings spread out, and held a long broad sword like Mystia's, only it was narrow and normal.

"It's not everyday that the Great Deku Tree would let someone in without the queen's notice," he said. "You must be of some great importance. What brings you here?"

"I came here to speak with the queen about a man named Ashasti," Mystia replied. "He's been causing problems in other villages far from here. I was hoping she could help us."

The man nodded.

"There are no guarantees that the queen will be able to assist you," he informed her, "but I will personally take you to her. This way!"

The man approached the gate-covered door and whispered something. Mystia tried to listen, but all she could hear was mumbling. Then, the gate rose out of the way, giving the man a chance to open the door. It revealed another set of stairs leading downward, but this one had torches all around the walls. The man walked through the door, looked back at Mystia and gave her look as if to say 'Aren't you coming?' Mystia began to follow him with Scrubs and Femur following behind. Fetch stayed by Femur the whole way and the other soldiers followed the group down the staircase.

Mystia looked down and saw how deep the chasm was. She started feeling dizzy, so she kept her focus on the man ahead of her.

"I'm assuming that you are the leader of these people," Mystia guessed.

"I am Captain Scevik," he replied. "Head of the Hylia Warriors and servant to the queen. And what are you? Some kind of glowing giant?"

"I'm a deity," the girl replied.

The captain looked back in surprise.

"A deity?" he inquired. "I didn't know any lived in this world."

"Well, I'm part deity," she confirmed. "It's a complicated story."

"You don't have to tell me," the soldier said.

"Might I ask how long you have served?" Femur asked.

"I was fifteen when I started," Scevik informed. "Around the time when the Dark King took Hyrule into his possession."

"You were young, sir," Femur stated. "Why would you join the army at such a young age?"

"I was a boy when I first met the Hero of Time," Scevik replied. "I looked up to him as a child. He was like a mentor to me even though I didn't know him personally. I dreamed of becoming just like him. Then, when the Dark King came along and overthrew the kingdom, I joined the rebels in hope that I could help get Hyrule back for the queen, just as the Hero of Time did. Now, my dreams are but dreams and my duty is to protect the queen with my life."

"Is this base under the tree?" Scrubs asked as he hopped from one step to the next.

"It is," the man nodded. "Thanks to the Gorons and the Kokiri, we had this place crafted to protect and provide for us all."

"How many people are down here?" Mystia asked.

"We have fifteen hundred soldiers and countless civilians we had to rescue from the Dark King's monsters," he reported. "They would have died in his grasp if we hadn't intervened."

The man then stopped. "Here we are."

Mystia didn't realize how fast they got down to the bottom, yet, there they were with a door before them. This one had the same image of the bird like the one on the captain's tunic. Scevik walked up to the door and rapped on it in a strange pattern like it was some kind of code. Then, the door opened with a creak, revealing a small man with a long, gray beard and round, thick glasses, making his brown eyes appear larger than normal.

"Greetings, captain," the man said in a small, high pitched voice. He then noticed Mystia. "Oh, my! A giant! Where did that come from?"

"This is Oni Mystia," Scevik told the little man. "She is here to see the queen. Is she available?"

"Well, she's in a meeting with Impa at the moment," the little man mentioned as he adjusted his bottle spectacles, "but I'm sure she won't mind a small interruption. Right this way."

The man let the group inside. Mystia realized they were on a balcony. She approached the rails to look down and gasped.

It was a beautiful scene. It looked like an underground city. There were different booths set up like little shops. There was what appeared to be a ginormous table toward the back set with food, candles, and decorations. All around, there were people, small and great. Many conversed with each other while others demanded things at the small shops. Children ran around, playing and screaming with laughter. The stone walls of the place were decorated in blues and golds. There were several banners of dark blue with the same bird symbol (she assumed the bird was the mark of Hyrule).

Mystia was fascinated by what she saw.

"Ooooo," she heard Scrubs say in awe.

"By my eye sockets!" Femur stated in wonder. "It's amazing! Incredible!"

"Come," Scevik called to the travelers. He was standing by a set of stairs to their left. "The queen is this way."

The group followed the captain down the stairs and soon they were surrounded by people. The hylians noticed the group and backed away with eyes filled with fear. Mystia tried to assure them with a smile that they were safe, but they still kept their distance. The group walked towards a set of doors guarded by two soldiers holding spears and wearing the same blue tunics.

"Sir!" they said with a salute. "Good to see you! What can we do for you?"

"I need to speak with the queen," Scevik said to them. "There is someone who wants to see her."

The soldiers looked at Mystia nervously, but then turned their attention back to Scevik.

"Very well! You may pass!" they said.

Scevik looked back at Mystia and smiled. Then he looked forward and gave the door a heave.

The group entered the room. It appeared more like a chamber than a meeting place. It was decorated in greens, whites, and golds. A large bed sat in the far corner, covered in green sheets. The other side had a bookshelf next to a roaring fireplace and a small rectangular table with a few chairs nearby.

At the table were two women. One was standing at the table with short, white hair tied in a ponytail and wore tight clothing with a symbol of a red eye. She had white jagged paint underneath her solid red eyes, giving her a mysterious look. The other woman was seated at the table with her back towards them. She had long, blond hair done in a braid and wore a green tunic.

"Your majesty," Scevik spoke with a bow. "One called Oni Mystia wishes to speak with you."

The white-haired female turned to the group with a serious glance. The woman at the table stood up and turned around to face them. Her green tunic had the same bird symbol as the rest of the soldiers. Her face was fair in complexion, her lips were a pale red, and her eyes were a sad and tired, but gorgeous blue.

"Oni Mystia," she said in a sweet, soft tone.

Mystia's first reaction was to kneel before her. At long last, she was before the queen of Hyrule. She knew she had to pay her respects.

"Your majesty," she said humbly.

She heard the others clumsily follow pursuit.

"I've heard that name before," the queen said.

Mystia raised her head to look at the fair maiden. The queen looked down at her with curious eyes.

"The name 'Oni' seems familiar to me," she continued.

_She's heard my name before?_ Oni said in surprise. _I don't even know her!_

"Are you wearing the Fierce Deity mask?" the queen asked.

Mystia rose from her knees and looked at the queen just as curious as the maiden.

"Yes," Mystia replied, "but how would you know?"

The queen sighed in relief.

"That's how I know!" she said. "Link told me of the Fierce Deity mask. He had called himself Oni Link. He used it to defeat Majora back in Termina as a child."

_Sure!_ Oni said in a huff. _He uses my name with his, too! And, no! I helped him defeat Majora! _

_Oni, now's not the time! _Mystia quickly said._  
><em>

"You are a friend here, Oni Mystia," the queen said to her.

"Thank you, your majesty," Mystia said with a small bow.

"Excuse me, my queen," Scrubs jumped in. "I am honored to meet you! My name is Scrubs and I'm from the Dark Forest."

"The Dark Forest?" the queen inquired.

"It's on the border of Meladon," Mystia informed.

"Meladon?" the queen said confused. "I've never heard of a place called that."

"That's because it's beyond the borders of Hyrule," said the other woman.

The women turned to the white-haired, red eyed female. She had approached them with her arms crossed.

"Impa?" the queen said curiously.

"It's a three week journey to Meladon," the female called Impa continued. "We used to trade with them, but that all ended when the Dark King took over."

"How long ago was that?" Mystia asked in confusion. Why would she have been sent to Hyrule if they weren't trading anymore?

"Seventeen years," Impa intoned.

"What!?" Mystia exclaimed. "Then why would..."

Everyone looked at her, curious to know why she was getting so excited over the situation.

Mystia became confused. Why did Mayor Tuffer not tell her anything about the trades being cut off? Was she going to Hyrule for nothing? What was the real reason he didn't tell her? What about her father? He always went before he had the accident with the monsters in the Dark Forest. Why didn't he say anything when she mentioned going to Hyrule?

"It doesn't make sense!" Mystia finally spoke, trying to piece everything together. "I was originally sent here to trade with you. Why didn't they tell me trades had been cut off?"

"You're not going to get anything at this point," Impa told her. "It's bad enough that we have struggles with provisions ourselves. Trading would only hurt us in the long run."

"Well, I wouldn't be able to trade, anyway," Mystia said. "That's why I'm here."

"I don't understand," the queen said and her eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Meladon..." the deity spoke, "it was destroyed. Everything and everyone. I was there when it happened."

"My home was destroyed, too!" Scrubs said with a jump.

The queen's eyes showed concern.

"I am so sorry for your village," she said sadly. "How did this happen?"

"A man named Ashasti showed up," Mystia replied. "He had in his control an army of white shadows. He used them to destroy the villages."

"White shadows?" Impa asked.

"They're white creatures with beady red eyes. They turn everything around them black and white and can revert things back to their natural state, like make a Zora into a fish or a Goron into a rock."

"Or a Deku into a tree!" Scrubs interrupted with a shiver. "That was creepy to see."

"Not only that," Mystia continued, "but they also can possess a person, causing them to go mad."

Impa looked at the queen with inquiring eyes.

"My lady," she said to the maiden, "doesn't that sound like what happened in Kakariko? And the other village seventeen years ago?"

The queen's eyes widened in realization. "Impa, you're right!"

"What?" Mystia asked.

"It all started seventeen years ago," the maiden explained. "A messenger from another village far from Hyrule came to us. He told us that his village started acting strange. 'They all went mad!' he said. 'They all changed to black and white and act as if they were possessed by demons!' I asked Link to investigate the situation. Then, seven months later, something happened within the castle." Then, she began to tell her tale...

* * *

><p><em>The princess woke up with a start. Something was terribly wrong. She couldn't make out what it was. She <em>_leapt out of bed, grabbed her robe and threw it on. She t__hen rushed out of her room._

_Thunder crashed outside the castle windows as the royal maiden ran down the long, winding halls. The only lights that guided her were a few lit torches and the lightning flashing outside. She felt the darkness pressing onto her like a wet blanket, trying to suffocate her. What kept crossing her mind was her father. He was in trouble. The dream told her that. Something terrible was going to happen to him. She kept praying to the gods that he would be alright._

_She made it to her father's bedroom. She shoved the doors opened._

_"Father?" she called out._

_There wasn't an answer. She saw the figure of her father lying in his bed. She assumed that he was still asleep. She approached him cautiously as to not frighten him awake. When she was over the bed, she quickly backed away and screamed. _

_Her father was drenched in blood on his chest and his eyes were still. _

_She couldn't believe it. Her father was dead! Who did this? Why weren't the guards nearby?_

_Suddenly, she felt a dark presence within the room. She felt her hand vibrating. She looked down to see the sacred, golden triangles appearing on the back of her hand._

_It couldn't be! It just can't..._

_"Hello, your highness," said a dark, familiar voice.  
><em>

_She turned quickly with her golden hair whipping around her face and gasped in fear._

_ It was him! _

_The red hair, the dark skin, the piercing red eyes, the horrid grin..._

_"Long time, no see," the dark man said in his deep voice. He had his arms crossed and was leaning against the wall in a casual pose._

_"How? How did you escape?" she cried out in disbelief.  
><em>

_"It doesn't matter now, princess," he said with a chuckle. He lowered his arms and began to approach her. "All that matters is that you are where I want you."_

_No! she thought with fear. Oh, no! Great Goddesses! Help me!_

_"Princess!" shouted a voice.  
><em>

_The maiden looked next to her and spotted Impa__. The sheikah g__rabbed the girl and threw something on the ground. The last thing she saw were his eyes, filled with rage and fire..._

* * *

><p>"That's when Impa decided to find a place for me to hide," said the queen. "Thanks to the Great Deku Tree and all that were involved, we had this place built so deep in the ground that no one suspected anything was up. We formed the Hylia Warriors, so we can try to get Hyrule back from the Dark King. Then, we heard the same story of the village happen in Kakariko. Knowing that Link hadn't returned from the mission I sent him on, I feared the worst had happened to him. From then on, I refused any requests for anyone to go there. I was worried that more people would fall into the trap of becoming possessed by these demons."<p>

The blonde-haired woman sighed, then looked at Mystia with a glimmer of hope. "But you mentioned that you've seen these creatures?"

"Thanks to this mask," Mystia replied. "Without the eyes of truth, I would have become possessed like them. I've even defeated them in Termina."

_With my help, not to mention!_ Oni pointed out.

"Then, there might be some hope after all," the queen said. "No one else would be able to accomplish what you have done. Please, I beg of you, Oni Mystia. We could use someone like you to get past these white shadows. Can you help us?"

Mystia smiled and gave her a bow.

"You have my service, your majesty," she said respectfully, "but you must do something for me."

"What is that?" the queen asked.

"I would like it if you called me Mystia," the girl grinned. "It's more casual."

The queen smiled of gratitude.

"Very well, Mystia," she said. "Then, I would like it if you called me Zelda."

"Yes, your maj...I mean, Zelda," Mystia replied.

Zelda then looked at Scevik, who stood behind the group.

"Could you give these people a place to rest?" she asked the captain. "They will be our honored guests here."

He replied with a bow and headed back towards the door.

"Tonight is the Feast of Hyrule," Zelda said to Mystia. "I would be delighted if you joined us for the celebration."

Scrubs jumped with joy. "Feast!" he shouted with happiness. "Oh, boy! Food!"

Mystia chuckled.

"We would be honored to attend," Mystia said with a smile.

"Might I inquire if this feast will be joined by music?" Femur asked.

"Of course," Zelda replied.

"Then, I will gladly accept the invitation," he said politely.

Fetch barked happily as if to say 'Me too! Me too!'

"I'm glad to hear," Zelda said to the group. "You may stay here as long as you like. You are welcome here to our base."

"I can't wait!" Scrubs said excitedly. "I hope there's lots of nuts and apples!"

"Oh, Scrubs!" Mystia said with a chuckle.

* * *

><p>Femur: Queen Zelda! What a grand honor!<p>

Izzy: The company has finally met the queen herself! Queen Zelda, of course!

Oni: Royalty? Nothing compared to a deity like myself!

Izzy: They had been invited to a feast. What will happen at the Feast of Hyrule? Find out next chapter!

Scrubs: Oh boy! A feast!

Roecliff: And make sure to review as well!


	18. The Feast of Hyrule

Izzy: Next chapter!

Scrubs: Oh! Oh! Oh! FOOD!

Izzy: Summary! The troop has finally made it to the Hylian Rebel Base and met the queen herself! And now, a feast is underway with food and dancing. What will be expected at this celebration? Let's find out!

Femur: Dancing? Oh, how wonderful!

Disclaimer: I have officially given up on trying to steal rights to owning Zelda stuff...maybe...

* * *

><p>The feast appeared to be a glorious celebration. The shops were closed so everyone could participate in the festivities. The huge table was filled with people and there was a huge floor space that was going to be used for dancing. The decorations were glamorous, coming in different colors and styles. Food was spread out across the surface of the table. Cattle dishes, cucco, fruits, nuts, soups, vegetables, and delicious desserts made up the meal. The sound of tambourines, violins, drums, and wooden flutes played lightly in the background.<p>

Mystia had washed up from her long travels and had her clothes cleaned for the feast. She decided to leave her sword and pouch in the guest room that was provided for her and her companions so she appeared safe to the crowd. The only thing she kept with her was Garen's white ocarina, which she attached to a string that hung around her neck. She walked up to the table calmly, so she wouldn't startle the people. She spotted Femur and Scrubs conversing with each other.

They were sitting near Zelda, who was at the head of the table. She was in a white dress with gold borders around the hem of her long sleeves and the rounded neckline. Her hair was still in a braid, but she now wore a golden band around her forehead and blue colored bands around her wrists. Impa stood by her with her arms crossed.

Zelda spotted Mystia, gave her a warm smile and a wave, beckoning her over. Mystia returned the smile and headed her direction. When Mystia reached her, the queen presented the deity a seat next to her.

"Sit here," she said to her. "You are my guest of honor."

Mystia gave a bow and took a seat.

_Aren't we special?_ Oni said proudly.

Zelda stood up from her seat, and Impa hit the gong behind her with her own fist. Everyone stopped talking and playing music to turned their focus on the queen.

"People of Hyrule!" she proclaimed. "Today is a day to celebrate the goddess for her protection and peace she had brought us. We must remember that even during the darkest hour, we are able to rejoice in the peace we are still able to have tonight. Even today, we have found someone who can help us stop the darkness and bring peace back to Hyrule. Oni Mystia has joined the ranks of the Hylia Warriors!"

_It's about time I get recognized for my talents,_ Oni said with a smirk.

Mystia noticed the people staring at her. They seemed more relaxed now that they knew she was not the enemy.

"With her courage, strength, and skill," Zelda continued, "she will be able to stop the white shadows from causing anymore harm. With that, I say it's about time we had the best celebration Hyrule has to offer. Let the Feast of Hyrule begin!"

The sounds of the drums echoed right after Zelda's speech. Then, the music began to play once again. The people responded to it by grabbing food, dishing it out on their plates, and passing it around the table. Femur didn't grab anything. He mentioned that Stalfos didn't need nourishment considering that they didn't have organs to consume it. Fetch, who sat next to Femur, happily got the Stalfos' portions instead. Scrubs went after the things a Deku would like: nuts, berries, and round fruits.

Mystia took her portions and watched as Impa scooped out the food for Zelda. The queen smiled with gratitude, then began to eat her dish. Mystia followed suit. The food was delicious! She slowly chewed to gather the flavors on her pallet.

_Oh, wow!_ Oni said in a slight daze. _That tastes so good! Can we get more of that cucco meat? _

_No,_ Mystia responded. _I don't have the same appetite as you do. I'll eat my fill._

_I can't wait until I have my own body back! _Oni daydreamed aloud._  
><em>

Mystia became curious to know what the Feast of Hyrule was all about. She only heard Zelda mention the protection and peace that the goddess (whoever she was) brought to Hyrule. She looked at the queen.

"Zelda?" she said to her.

Zelda looked up at Mystia. "Yes?"

"Who is this goddess?"

Zelda set down her fork and looked at Mystia.

"I assume you've never heard the history of Hyrule," she guessed.

Mystia shook her head.

"Thousands of years ago," Zelda began, "three golden goddess came upon this world and with their power, wisdom, and courage, shaped it into a land where people could live. Then, before descending into the heavens, they left behind the golden power known as the Triforce. Its purpose was to keep the balance of the three great forces: power, wisdom, and courage. The one called Her Grace was appointed by the goddesses to protect the Triforce from harm. Then, one day, dark forces rose from the earth. A demon king wanted the Triforce for his own. He even killed most of the hylians of this world."

"That's terrible!" Scrubs said in shock.

"Thankfully," Zelda continued, "Her Grace gathered the survivors and sent them to the skies to protect them. Then she gathered the other races together and fought against the darkness. She had the demon king sealed away, saving Hyrule."

"Is this demon king still sealed away?" Femur asked.

Zelda lowered her head.

"No one knows what happened after that except the part where our ancestors returned to the surface and the Kingdom of Hyrule was created."

She raised her head back up and her eyes turned sad. "However, it was foretold that the demon king would return someday. My assumption is that the King of Evil might be the same one from years ago."

There was that name again! First, Ashasti mentions it, then the Four Giants of Termina, and now even the queen of Hyrule! Why was it so familiar to her? She hears it, knows it, but doesn't know why she knows it. It was starting to agitate her.

"The King of Evil?" Mystia reiterated in question.

"Also known as the Gerudo Lord," Impa informed, "and another name that we do not utter here. It is a forbidden name."

"He came to Hyrule Castle when I was a little girl," Zelda continued. "I knew from the start that he was trouble. Even Link agreed with me that he was going after the Triforce. We had decided together that we would make sure that he would never set foot in the Sacred Realm."

Mystia recognized this story. She had heard her father, Garen, tell it to her hundreds of times when she was little. She heard of how the Hero of Time saved the world from darkness; however, she had never heard the full detailed version that the queen was reciting to her now. Zelda sighed in disappointment.

"Something tells me it didn't go well," Scrubs predicted.

"When Link went to open the Doors of Time and pulled out the legendary blade, the path to the Sacred Realm was opened, allowing the Gerudo Lord to enter the Sacred Realm and take the Triforce. Thankfully, he didn't get all the pieces, for, according to legend, if someone with an unbalanced heart tries to take the Triforce, then it will split apart into three pieces."

"Power, wisdom, and courage," Femur finished.

Zelda nodded her head to confirm Femur's statement and continued.

"The Gerudo Lord managed to keep the piece that was closest to his heart: the Triforce of Power. The other two pieces were given to the ones chosen by destiny. Link gained the Triforce of Courage and I gained the Triforce of Wisdom."

Zelda raised her right hand to show Mystia. Then, glowing slightly bright, was the image of three golden triangles forming into one.

Mystia stared at it, her eyes widened in shock. She knew that symbol! It was on her baby blanket! Now, she knew for certain that she was from Hyrule.

_Now, the question is 'Where are my parents?' _Mystia thought.

"MUSIC FOR THE GODDESS!" shouted a towns-person.

Mystia heard the music become more upbeat in time.

"Alright!" Femur said excitedly. "This is what I was waiting for!"

He leapt up from his seat and rushed over to the open floor. When he was dead center, he began to dance. The dance he did was so hilarious for Mystia to watch that she laughed hard. Soon, she saw other people joined on the floor and started dancing. She decided to worry about her family later. Right now, it was a night of dance and fun.

"Scrubs, let's go!" Mystia said as she stood up.

"Okay!" Scrubs declared.

She and Scrubs went to the dance floor and started to dance. Mystia decided to do the dance of the Meladians called the Sky and Earth Dance. It was a traditional dance that was always used for the Festival of Life to represent the joining of the sky and earth, a way to praise the gods for helping them survive the harsh winter. It was a glorious dance full of twirls, spins, claps, stomps, and leaps.

Mystia started with the stamping of the feet, representing the solid earth underneath. Then, she raised her hands and clapped to represent the sky. Then, she clapped all around to show the unison of both earth and sky working together. The next step was, with the help of Scrubs right next to her, holding the person's hands and spinning in a circle to show the people united. Then, she did the part of the guy and lifted Scrubs from one side in the air and set him down on the other side to represent the passing of time when the gods helped the people. Finally, the last step was to raise her hands in the air, look up at the sky, and spin around to thank the gods.

She repeated the steps until she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see Zelda, smiling.

"I've never seen a dance like that before," she mentioned. "Could you teach me that?"

"It would be my pleasure!" Mystia said with a big smile on her face.

She slowly did her dance, showing the queen each step to it from the timing of the stomps to the rhythm of the spins. It took Zelda a few tries, but Mystia noticed progress.

"You're a fast learner!" Mystia complimented.

"Thank you," the queen replied. "Now, let's dance!"

Zelda and Mystia danced the Sky and Earth Dance with such life. Mystia started to notice others imitating the two women in the dance. Soon, everyone was learning the dance. Some still had trouble while others learned quickly and joined in the merriment. Even Femur and Scrubs attempted the dance.

Laughter and chants made Mystia feel like she was back home in Meladon, where the people were dancing and enjoying each others' company. She could feel her family with her as she did the dance. She could feel the excitement of the people all around her. She could see the decorations in their bright colors and the stars in the night sky. She could hear the actual song being played by the instruments of her village. As she danced with Scrubs, she felt Tiko next to her, smiling at her as they danced together. She felt at ease in this place. It felt just like...

"MY QUEEN!" exclaimed a voice.

The music died away and the laughter and chants changed to gasps and whispers of fear. Mystia froze in her spot and looked up toward the balcony. She saw the short man with the long gray beard and bottled glasses at the top of the golden stairs. He looked bewildered and disturbed.

"It's Lieutenant Jarvis!" He flustered with a shout. "He's back, but he's badly wounded!"

Mystia watched as the queen immediately jumped up and ran to the steps. She chased after her, following her up the stairs. When she made it to the top, she saw several soldiers standing by.

On the floor, was a soldier in the same attire, but his tunic was covered in blood. Zelda collapsed on the floor before the wounded man.

"Jarvis!" she exclaimed in distress. "Jarvis! What happened?"

"We went to Gerudo Valley," the soldier said weakly. "...as you had suggested. We...we couldn't find it...the Gerudos...they weren't there." He coughed hard, bringing up blood from his mouth. "We...we were ambushed...by monsters. Nabooru...was taken captive..."

Mystia saw Zelda's eyes widen in shock.

"Nabooru..." she said, stunned.

"We couldn't...stop them," the man continued. "There were too many."

"Someone get this man a potion!" Zelda commanded.

"No!" Jarvis exclaimed as best as he could.

Mystia was shocked by his response. He acted as if he wanted to die. Why?

Zelda seemed equally surprised.

"Now, what nonsense is that?" she said strictly.

"I lost...my family...because of him," Jarvis replied. "I have nothing...left to lose...I will die...serving you...my...queen..."

The man became still in death. Silence filled the room as everyone on the balcony looked upon the ever sleeping soldier. Then two soldiers, reacting quickly, grabbed a cloth and placed it upon the dead man.

The queen stood up quietly with the look of contained sorrow upon her face.

"This man must be properly buried," she informed. "He needs a peaceful place to rest."

Then, without another word, she turned and walked past Mystia to the stairs.

Mystia couldn't believe it. The man had lost everything, including his family. He wanted to die. He died because he served the queen. He died because he chose to. He died because of that horrible king! Was that it or did he die because he couldn't take it anymore? Mystia wanted to cry. She wanted to scream in agony! It seemed like everywhere she goes, death follows her! She couldn't stand it! She hated the King of Evil! She hated everything about him! She wished that she could take her blade and chop the Dark King's head off!

_Mystia..._ She heard Oni say.

_Don't talk to me!_ She snapped.

_Don't you shut me up!_ Oni responded harshly. _I'm only trying to help!_

_I don't want your help!_ Mystia told him harslhy._  
><em>

_Goht, Mystia! Get over it! _Oni reprimanded._ The world doesn't revolve around you! You're not the only one who has problems!_

_You're one to talk! _Mystia said rudely._  
><em>

_I'm not shutting myself from the rest of the world! _Oni scolded._ You need to quit being a baby about everything and get back to reality!_

_IN THE NAME OF FARORE! SHUT UP!_ the deity girl exclaimed._ I DON'T WANT YOU TO TALK TO ME! I DON'T WANT YOU! LEAVE ME ALONE!_

Silence filled her head. She could sense a sadness fill her mind. Mystia angrily growled and placed her head in her hand. She had to get better control of this anger before she explodes. She took deep breaths, trying to clear her mind. Getting angry wouldn't solve anything. She needed a solution to the queen's problem. She had to do something.

_What was the man looking for? _she wondered._ Whatever it was, it was important enough that soldiers would look for it and monsters would guard it._

She had to find out for herself and she knew, of all people, the queen would know best.

* * *

><p>Izzy: ACK! Even in the midst of goodness, there is still evil!<p>

Scubs: *sad puppy face* Aaawwwww!

Oni: Goht! Mystia is so disrespectful!

Roecliff: You're one to talk...

Oni: *getting in Roecliff's face angrily* What are you trying to say?

Izzy: Okay! So Mystia finds out that she is truly from Hyrule. The feast was going well...until a guard showed up, wounded, on the scene. He tells the queen that the army had been ambushed by monsters while they were searching for something in Gerudo Fortress. Their leader, Nabooru (those of you who played OoT get this) has been captured and many were killed. The man dies, the queen is now in mourning, and Mystia's temper returns to her, causing a divide between her and Oni once again.

Oni: Well, Roecliff and I are about to show you how divided I can get with him!

Roecliff: Try me!

Izzy: GUYS! BREAK IT UP! Femur, control the situation!

Femur: I'm a pacifist, not a piece maker!

Izzy: *sigh* So the questions are: What was it that the soldiers were looking for? Is Mystia ever going to let go of her anger? What will Mystia find out from the queen? Will she ever find her real family? Find out next chapter!

Scrubs: That's a lot of questions!

Izzy: I know, right?

Oni: Come on! Show me what you got!

Roecliff: I'll show you indeed!

Femur: Don't fight! It's not good for you!

Izzy: (T-T) Please review...


	19. The Three Stones

Izzy: Next chapter and summary! A party was going on until it was crashed by a dying soldier, telling the queen of an ambush in Gerudo Valley. What will Mystia find out from the queen about the item the soldier spoke of on his last breath? Will her temper ever simmer down?

Scrubs: I don't like her temper.

Oni: I don't like you.

Scrubs: :( Grrrrr...

Izzy: Let's find out.

Disclaimer: I own Zelda!

Oni: LIAR!

Izzy: Fiddle Faddle! Busted!

* * *

><p>Mystia carefully opened the door to hear the sound of the fair maiden weeping. She spotted the queen by her bedside, crying into her sheets. Impa was kneeling next to her with her arm across Zelda's shoulders. Mystia carefully entered the room and quietly closed the door behind her.<p>

"This is all my fault," she heard Zelda moan into the sheets. "Many people die because of me. Now even Nabooru has been taken captive! Wouldn't it be better to surrender than to see anymore deaths?"

"Don't talk such nonsense!" Impa said strictly. "Your father taught you better than that..."

Zelda raised her head from the wet blankets and glared in frustration and sorrow at the red-eyed female.

"MY FATHER IS DEAD, IMPA!" Zelda shouted. "THOUSANDS DIE BECAUSE OF ME! THOUSANDS!" She looked away, holding her head in her delicate hands. "Hyrule will become an empty wasteland if I don't do something! That pig-headed king will kill more people just to find me! How much longer will I hide away while others die in my place? HOW LONG, IMPA!?"

"We'll figure something out, my lady," Impa said calmly.

Zelda shook her head and softly cried again.

"I wish Link was here," she said. "_He_ would know what to do. That horrible Gerudo scum would be back in the Evil Realm and Hyrule would be fine!"

Mystia felt her blood boil again. The evil king has caused so much havoc and destruction across this world that it was causing Zelda distress and making her think of surrender. Mystia knew exactly what she was going through. Her whole village was dead because of her. The Evil King was looking for her, too. She couldn't let Zelda take the blame for everything. She had to do something.

"I'm sorry for your loss, my queen," she said quietly.

Zelda and Impa quickly turned around. Impa looked at Mystia as if she had already known she was in the room. Zelda, however, looked embarrassed.

"Mystia!" she exclaimed as she wiped away tears. "I didn't hear you come in."

"I'm sorry for intruding," Mystia stated. "I only wish to know if I can do anything to help."

"The queen is in mourning," Impa replied bluntly. "You don't just ask something like that. It's too much for her right now."

"No, Impa," Zelda said quietly. "She's fine to ask me."

Impa remained silent.

"I heard the man say that he was looking for something," Mystia continued. "What was it?"

Zelda stood up from her place and approached Mystia. Her face was red and her eyes glistened dimly from her tears.

"He was...he was looking for the Spiritual Stone of the Forest," she replied.

"The what?" Mystia asked with a raised eyebrow in interest.

Zelda walked over to her bookshelf and glanced through the books. She then pulled out a blue book from the shelf, dusted it off, and brought it to the table. The cover had the Triforce symbol on it. Mystia approached as the queen thumbed through the pages.

"This book contains the history of Hyrule," Zelda mentioned as she continued to flip through the pages. "It tells you everything about it. These are the Spiritual Stones." She stopped and pointed to one of the pages.

Mystia looked at the page. On it was an image of three stones. One was an emerald with a gold band twisted into a swirl in the center. The second one looked like a diamond-shaped ruby inserted into a v-shaped gold piece. The third one had three sapphires set in a three corner-shaped piece of gold.

"These are the three Spiritual Stones of the Forest, Fire, and Water," the queen continued. "They are three of the four keys needed to open the Doors of Time. The other key is the Ocarina of Time. You have to place the stones on the altar and play the Song of Time. Only then will the doors open."

_For the love of Odolwa!_ Oni sighed in disbelief. _Is this town into time, too?_

"What's behind the Doors of Time?" Mystia asked.

"Inside, there is a tool that can be used to stop the Dark King once and for all: the Master Sword."

_The Master Sword!?_ Oni shouted in excitement.

"The Master Sword!?" Mystia exclaimed.

The queen looked at her with curious eyes.

"Yes," she said. "You know what it is?"

"The giants of Termina told me that the Master Sword can break the curse of Majora!"

Mystia began to playback everything that happened from the time Oni got the Fierce Deity to how she ended up becoming a deity. Zelda appeared to be listening carefully as Mystia spoke. Impa had her arms crossed as usual and attentively listened as well. When Mystia finished her story, Zelda furrowed her eyes as if she had more questions come to her.

"I thought you could take off your mask at any time?" she asked Mystia quizzically.

"I wish," Mystia said with a little bit of agitation. "He just won't let me go."

"And the Master Sword...it's the only way to break the curse?" the queen asked.

"That's what the giants said," Mystia confirmed. "I have to get to the Master Sword to release the curse on both Oni and I. It's the only solution."

"Well, getting the sword won't be easy," Impa told Mystia. "It rests in the Temple of Time."

"Where's that at?" Mystia asked.

"In the market near Hyrule Castle..." Impa said.

"Where the Dark King resides," Zelda finished.

_Oh, Goht!_ Oni swore. _That figures! The one thing that we need to get to break the curse is close to the one person we are trying to avoid!_

"Din!" Mystia whispered harshly.

The last thing she wanted to do was face the horrid man, but she knew deep down that if she didn't get to that sword, she would be cursed forever. She sighed and looked back at Zelda.

"I'll do whatever it takes to get to that weapon," she told the queen. "I need it to end Majora's curse and you need it to stop the Dark King. I'll even go alone if I have to."

"Alone!?" Zelda exclaimed. "No! I can't ask you to do that! Not by yourself!"

"Zelda..." Mystia began to say.

"No!" Zelda interrupted quickly. "I had sent out at least thirty soldiers and ten came back alive! Do you think I would let you go on your own?

The queen turned around, hands on her hips in silence.

"I...I had a dream recently," she spoke finally, turning back to Mystia. "I dreamed of two giant birds: one gold and one white. They flew through the skies, but they were tied together by a black rope. They would fight to get away from each other to no avail. Finally, the birds gave up and learned how to fly together. Then a streak of light slashed the rope, breaking it apart. Realizing this, the white bird abandoned the gold bird. The gold bird flew towards the darkness and a great beast rose. It slammed its paw into the bird and it to fall hard on the ground. The bird struggled to flap its wings, but it was crippled from the attack and became too weak. The beast was ready to crush the bird with its hand..."

Zelda sighed heavily as more tears formed in her dark blue eyes. "Do you see? I feel that you were the one in the dream because you are trapped by someone who is trapped as well. The beast in my dream I know for certain is the Dark King. What would happen if you ran into him? Or even get killed? I can't take that risk!"

_I can't take that risk! _The voice of Sonya echoed in Mystia's mind.

They were the same words her mother said the night before she left Meladon. Mystia had wished that the Mayor or even Tiko was alive to be here with her, but she also wasn't aware of the dangers she had recently encountered on her journey. She didn't want anyone else to get involved in anymore danger than what was necessary. The queen, however, thought differently. The dream she told her...seemed almost similar to the one she had herself. Mystia wasn't sure how to compromise with Zelda.

_What if she's right?_ Mystia asked herself. _What if all she said was true? What if I do get killed? But I am part deity. What's the sense in not trying?_

"I have a better advantage than anyone else here," Mystia informed the queen. "I am part deity. I can fight those monsters and get those stones much faster than an army. Give me a chance. Please!"

"I won't allow you to go by yourself!" Zelda declared. "If you were to bring at least one person with you, I would be fine with that, but not alone."

_Am I not a person?_ Oni asked offensively.

_Sometimes I wonde__r about that,_ Mystia responded coldly.

_What is with you? _Oni asked frustrated._ What have I done to you to make you act this way to me?_

Mystia ignored him and started thinking. She had to bring at least one person with her. She would prefer to go alone, considering the dangers of Hyrule, but because of Zelda's refusal to go alone, she knew she had to bring someone. The one question was, 'Who would she take with her?'

There was a knock at the door. Mystia turned around as the door opened to reveal Femur and Scrubs.

"Is everything alright, miss?" Femur asked in his British accent.

"Yes, Femur," Mystia responded. "We were just talking."

"About what?" Scrubs asked.

"Zelda needs to find the Spiritual Stones to get a hold of the Master Sword," Mystia reiterated.

"Spiritual Stones," Femur said aloud. "Yes! I know what those are. Never seen them myself, but I know what they are."

"They need the Master Sword, too?" Scrubs asked.

"Yes, Scrubs," Mystia replied, "but getting there is difficult."

"How?" the little Deku asked.

"For one thing,the sword lies in the Temple of Time," Mystia repeated, "nearby where the Dark King is."

"Skull and crossbones!" Femur swore.

"And the other problem," Zelda interjected, "is that she wants to go alone."

"Alone!?" Scrubs said in shock. "What about me!?"

_I don't want him to come!_ Oni stated boldly. _We don't need him anyway!_

Mystia knelt down in front of Scrubs.

"I can't risk your life anymore than I already have been," Mystia told the Deku. "You already came this far without getting hurt. I don't want you involved in something that might be too dangerous for you."

"Too dangerous!?" Scrubs shouted. "Have you forgotten? I'm the adventurous Scrubs! Danger is my middle name! I can handle anything!"

_Except for bulokoblins and Chateau Romani,_ Oni pointed out.

"Please let me go!" Scrubs begged. "I've been very useful!"

_Not really!_ Oni huffed. _All he's ever done was eat your food and act lik__e an extra bag..._

_Oni...don't make me tell you again to shut...up! _Mystia snapped._  
><em>

"Please, please, please please, pleeeeaaaaasssseeee!" Scrubs again begged. "I want to go with you! I still haven't introduced my bubble power yet! Just you wait! I'll show those bad guys what for!"

Mystia smiled. She was so thankful that she had such a good friend who was willing to help. She was still wary of the dangers he might face with her, but it looked like she couldn't turn it down if it meant she could go with the queen's permission.

She placed her hand on Scrubs' shoulder.

"Alright," she said to Scrubs. "You can come, but you must promise me that you won't place yourself in any trouble. Understand?"

"You got it!" Scrubs agreed.

_Why me?_ Oni complained.

Mystia looked up at Femur. "You're welcome to come if you like. We could use a guide."

Femur gave a bow.

"Anything for you, Miss Deity!" he replied.

_Come on! Him, too? _Oni groaned._  
><em>

"So, where do we begin?" Mystia asked the queen as she stood up from her place.

"The Spiritual Stone of Fire can be found on Death Mountain," Zelda answered, "and the Spiritual Stone of Water resides in Zora's Domain. Both Darunia, Patriarch of the Gorons, and Queen Ruto, ruler of the Zora people, have these stones in their possession."

"And the Spiritual Stone of the Forest is where?" Mystia asked.

"It was stolen from here quite sometime ago," the queen informed. "We didn't think we needed it until now. We assumed it was taken to Gerudo Valley."

"Was that where the soldiers came from?" Femur asked.

Zelda nodded her head.

"I would suggest starting with Death Mountain," Impa directed. "Considering that you can see white shadows, you might be able to help Kakariko get back to normal."

"K...Kakariko?" Scrubs stuttered nervously. "Didn't you say that place was infested with demons?"

"Someone's gotta do it, Scrubs." Mystia informed. She turned to focus her attention back on Zelda. "I will make sure to take care of that."

She noticed that Zelda had a look of concern on her face.

"What's wrong?" Mystia asked her.

"I'm not sure of what it is," she said with a loud sigh, "but I have this feeling like...like I've known you my whole life...even though we just met...but now you're leaving. I'm very worried that the dream might come true and you might get hurt. I...I feel...scared...and sad..."

Mystia walked up to the maiden and placed her hand on her shoulders.

"Don't worry, Zelda," she assured her. "I'll be back before you know it. We will be able to stop the Dark King together."

"Promise me, Mystia, that you will come back safely?"

Another set of words that reminded her of her mother.

"Zelda, that's a promise," she said with a grin.

Zelda gave off a smile and then nodded.

"May the goddesses of Hyrule protect you on your quest," the queen blessed her softly.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, they walked through the crowd of sad, frightened people. Mystia had her pouch and sword on her, ready for the next adventure. Zelda had made sure that Mystia, Scrubs, and Fetch had food (Femur didn't need any food for himself, for he was a stalfos) and a supply of magic and healing potions for the quest. Femur still carried his pouch of personal stuff that he felt would be useful to the quest and his extremely large hammer.<p>

Mystia kept thinking about what Zelda told her. The dream she had did seem too real. What if she did encounter the Dark King? Would something really bad happen to her? Could she possibly get killed? She was becoming unsure of herself about going on this quest, but she knew her family was out there, counting on her. She had to do this for them...and for the family she knew all her life.

They walked up the stairs and encountered the small man.

"Well, you look ready for the outside world," he stammered. "I hope you have a safe quest."

Mystia smiled and nodded. She approached the golden doors.

"Oni Mystia." she heard someone say behind her.

She turned quickly and spotted Impa standing by the rails in a casual pose.

"I want to thank you personally for assisting the queen with this," Impa said. "Not too many people would be as willing to do what you're about to do now."

Mystia was pleased to hear this from Impa. The whole time they were there, she seemed to be a very stern person. It was nice tobe thanked by her.

"I'm glad to be of service," Mystia replied.

Impa walked up to her.

"I had noticed a bit of anger inside of you earlier," Impa pointed out.

Mystia looked down with a heavy sigh. She wished that Impa hadn't noticed.

"I want you to think on this," the female continued. "How long do you think you will hold on to that anger? Until you realize that it only hurts others around you or even hurt your own life? Until it's too late to mend the bonds you have broken?"

Mystia was taken back at the statement. Hurt others? Hurt her own life? Too late to mend bonds? She couldn't believe what Impa was saying.

"I..." she started to say, but Impa held up her hand.

"I don't need to know the answer to that," the mysterious woman told her as she lowered her hand again. "I just want you to think on it. Answer it for yourself. Now for real reason I came up here to meet you. I happened to notice that you have an ocarina. There is a song that I want to teach you. It is a song that I once taught to Link many years ago. I also played this song as a lullaby to Zelda when she was a baby. Now, I want to teach it to you. Remember this song always."

Impa raised her hand to her lips and, somehow, played a song. It sounded so beautiful. Mystia closed her eyes and listened carefully. She felt like she heard this song before. She pulled out her ocarina and began to play the peaceful music. Once she figured out the notes, she realized that it sounded even better on her ocarina. When the song was finished, she removed the ocarina from her lips and noticed the slight glow that surrounded it.

"I hope this song will be useful to you," Impa said to her. "You seem capable of handling this quest quite well. Just like another young child I once knew."

Impa smiled at her for the first time. "May the goddesses guide you on your journey. Good luck, Oni Mystia."

Impa walked back toward the stairs and disappeared among the crowd.

"She is so strange," Scrubs spoke up.

"That's the way of the Sheikah," Mystia heard the old man say.

She looked down at him from her giant height.

"Sheikah?" she asked.

"The Shadow Folk," the man mentioned. "They are a race of mysterious people who have protected the Royal Family for generations. It is said that Impa is the last of their race, but I don't believe it. I think there are others out there somewhere in this world. Anyway, Impa has her strange ways, but they always turn out for the better. The queen wouldn't have gotten this far if it wasn't for her."

Mystia looked back toward the stairs. A Sheikah, huh? She had never heard of such a race, but it did make sense to her from the way Impa had acted. Mysterious... just like her.

"Well, we better get going," Mystia finally spoke up. "We have stones to find."

She turned back to the door and, with a shove, pushed the doors open.

The travelers walked through, ready for the next quest: to find the Spiritual Stones and retrieve the Master Sword.

There was a curse to be broken and an evil to vanquish.

* * *

><p>Izzy: Impa rocks!<p>

Roecliff: The spiritual stones? They were already used!

Izzy: So? I can use them again.

Oni: Copy cat!

Izzy: So, now Mystia is off to find the spiritual stones. Another quest for her to go on. On top of that, she now knows for certain that she's from Hyrule. Will she find her family? What will she find out in the world of Hyrule? Find out next chapter!

Roecliff: Review the story as well, please! We love to hear your comments!


	20. Night of the Living Stalchildren

Izzy: Hi, guys! Sorry this took so long to post. I've been waiting for my other beta to work on my last chapter to make it more...aggressive.

Scrubs: There isn't enough action?

Roecliff: Izzy is more of a passive writer.

Izzy: No, I'm not! I just...have trouble with writing tons of action...Anyway! Summary! Mystia, Scrubs, Femur and Fetch are on their way to search for the three Spiritual Stones so they can use the Master Sword not only for breaking Mystia's curse, but also for Zelda to use against the Dark King!

Femur: Swords?!

Disclaimer: I. Don't. Own. Zelda. What. So. Ever! Okay?

* * *

><p>Mystia, Scrubs, Femur and Fetch exited the Great Deku Tree, using the glow surrounding Mystia to guide them. Mystia noticed that Saria was standing by the gate, waiting for them.<p>

"Did you find what you were looking for?" the little girl asked with a smile.

"Yes, thank you," Mystia replied.

"Glad to hear," the child grinned. "Where will you go now?"

"We're off to search for the Spiritual Stones," Femur replied.

Saria nodded in agreement. "I'm assuming that only the four of you are going."

"It's what I would prefer," Mystia said. "I don't want to see anyone else die as much as the queen does."

"It sounds like a big risk," Saria said.

"We can do it, though!" Scrubs declared. "We are warriors after all!"

"I'm not," Femur pointed out, "but I can help with navigation."

_If only he knew what he was capable of,_ Oni brought up. Mystia could only imagine him smirking as he spoke.

Fetch barked with excitement.

"I hope you all find the stones," Lavi said. "Good luck!"

"Thanks," Mystia said to the fairy, then her gaze returned to Saria. "Say, do you know the way out of this forest? I need to go to Death Mountain to find the Spiritual Stone of Fire."

"Follow me," the girl replied with a smile, turning toward the stone gate and leading the group out of the Tree's Meadow. The stone gate closed with a 'thud' and Saria removed the green orb to place it back in a small pouch she carried.

She then led the group back to the village where the Kokiri children were going about their normal business. They saw Mystia and company pass by and stopped to gaze upon them with fear. Saria led them to the other side of the village to a tunnel, then stopped and turned to the group.

"This is the way to Hyrule Field," she told them. "From here, you will run into more danger, but I have a feeling that you will be alright. Good luck and may the goddesses of Hyrule protect you on your quest."

"Thanks for your help, Saria," Mystia said, extending her hand.

Saria took it and both shook hands.

"My pleasure," Saria said.

Mystia let go of the girl's hand and walked through the tunnel. It led her to a bridge that led her to another tunnel. She turned to see Scrubs, Femur and Fetch following her. She smiled at them and, with everyone close behind her, went through the second tunnel.

* * *

><p>They went down a path of trees and when they turned to the right, they found themselves looking upon Hyrule Field. Mystia wished that she had seen it before the fall of Hyrule. What appeared to be a once vibrant, fruitful place had become a dark, barren wasteland. The grass was dry and brittle to the touch. The ground was dusty and gray. The trees were crippled. A thin mist formed all around giving the place an eerie feel.<p>

"Brr..." Scrubs shivered. "This place makes me feel like I've entered a graveyard or something."

"More like a haunted war zone," Mystia corrected.

She felt the cold chill of the wind blow into her. She shivered slightly and felt goose bumps form on her body. Everything around her felt dark and evil to her.

"Well, let's not waste any time," Femur professed. "We have stones to find."

"Right," Mystia spoke in determination. "Which way to Kakariko, Femur?"

"Northeast! That way!" Femur directed.

They began their track with Femur leading the way. Scrubs hopped onto Fetch, saving him the trouble of waddling along. As they walked, Mystia noticed the sky getting dark fast (even though it was dark to begin with because of the strange black clouds). She thought she saw the glow of the moon rising over the mountains. Then, she heard howling.

"Fetch!" Femur harshly whispered to the wolfos. "Be quiet! No one wants to hear your howling! There isn't even a moon out!"

Suddenly, right at Mystia's feet, something shot out of the ground: a boney hand.

"Ah!" she exclaimed.

Scrubs squealed in fear. Another boney hand shot came out before him. Then, several more hands appeared. One set of hands pulled at the ground, causing a skull to appear from the rising dirt. The rest of the hands did the same thing. The next thing she knew, the whole troop was surrounded by five small skeletons.

_Stalchildren! Great!_ Oni said, annoyed. _We just started and already we're in trouble!_

Mystia was about to pull out her sword.

"Children!" Femur exclaimed in excitement.

Mystia looked at him, confused. "Children?"

"UNCLE FEMUR!" the skeletons shouted.

She looked back to see the 'children' run up to Femur and give him what looked like a huddle hug. He laughed as the stalchildren tackled and toppled him over. One noticed Fetch barking happily and went up to pet the brown eyed wolfos.

"Hey, Fetchy!" the stalchild said.

_I'm officially confused about this guy,_ Oni said.

Mystia nodded slowly in agreement. Then, she noticed that Femur had gotten up from among the chaos of the stalchildren.

"Oh, Miss Deity!" he said. "Forgive me. Allow me to introduce the Fracture family." He pointed at each stalchild. "This is Harlin...Arthie...Cal...and the twins, Carpa and Tunel."

_Fracture...family?_ Oni said in disbelief.

"Children," Femur continued, this time talking to the small skeletons, "This is Oni Mystia. She's a deity."

"Part...deity," Mystia corrected.

One of the children, called Harlin, looked at her with disgust. He had a crack on his skull running from his forehead to across his left eye.

"She has flesh on her!" he said.

"Ewwwwww!" the twins, Carpa and Tunel, said unitedly.

"I like her," said the stalchild named Cal. He had the whitest bones Mystia had ever seen.

"You like anyone, bonehead!" the tallest stalchild, Arthie, said bluntly.

"Now, children," Femur scolded, "don't be rude. Miss Deity is a friend of mine and I want you to treat her like a guest."

"Yes, Uncle Femur," they replied.

"I didn't know you had relatives," Mystia said with a grin.

"Well, these are my nieces and nephews," Femur replied. "All from my brother, Carty L. Fracture and his wife, Scully."

"What does the "L" stand for?" Scrubs asked.

"Lige," Femur said proudly.

Mystia chuckled lightly. _Carty Lige Fracture. Now, that's funny._

_You think THAT'S funny?_ Oni complained. _The names are ridiculous! _

"It's been forever since we last saw you!" Harlin said.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" the twins both said. "We missed you, uncle!"

"Where have you been all this time?" Harlin asked.

"I've been in the Faron Woods," Femur answered.

"Hiding from the war, I assume?" the tall stalchild guessed with attitude.

"Arthie, you know I'm a pacifist," Femur reminded.

"So are our parents," Harlin pointed out, "but they're still here."

"They're not afraid of pointy objects!" Femur stated.

Mystia felt a tug on her tunic. She looked down to see Cal looking up at her with a big silly grin.

"Hi, Miss Deity," he said to her. "My name is Cal. You're very pretty."

Mystia smiled at the cuteness of the stalchild and patted him gently on the head.

"Thanks, Cal," she said to him. "You're so sweet."

_You're so sweet!_ Oni mocked. _Did you forget that they are the ENEMY!?_

"Look at the cute Deku!" exclaimed two voices.

Mystia looked over to where Scrubs was standing. The twins were gawking at him and poking him with their boney fingers.

"Aw!" they said in unison. "He's so cute!"

"Mystia," Scrubs said awkwardly. "They're creeping me out!"

_Actually, this is quite nice to watch, _Oni said with amusement.

"So, why did you come back, uncle?" she heard Harlin ask.

She glanced back to focus on Femur.

"I came back to help Miss Deity on her quest," Femur replied in his British accent. "She's looking for the Spiritual Stones of Hyrule."

"Oooooooo!" all but Arthie said in awe.

"What's a Spiritual Stone?" Cal asked.

"They're just glittery rocks, stupid!" Arthie scowled.

"On the contrary," Harlin spoke, "they're three smooth, colored stones that open the doors to the Temple of Light."

"You've seen them?" Mystia asked.

"Me? No," the young stalchild admitted. "I like to study history."

"Where will you go to find them, Uncle Femur?" Carpa and Tunel asked.

"Well, first, we're going to Kakariko Village-" Femur began to say.

"WHAT?!" the stalchildren exclaimed.

"You can't go there!" Harlin shouted.

"It's too dangerous!"Carpa and Tunel jumped.

"There's a monster in there!" Arthie said with fear in her voice.

"There's scary people there..." Cal said in a hush whisper.

"A monster?" Mystia said, catching what Arthie had said.

Arthie gave her a frightful glance.

"I saw it myself," she said as her pea eyes shrunk even smaller in fear. " They were heading toward the village the other day. The monster...human, but not human..."

Mystia heard Scrubs shivering behind her. Then, she felt the tiny, wooden hands clasp onto her leg.

"I couldn't make out what it was," Arthie continued, clutching her crooked fingers together, "but it was with someone. Someone wearing a yellow cape and black tunic...and a scar on his lip..."

"Ashasti!" Mystia lowly growled.

"I followed them to see what it was they were doing," Arthie went on. "When I got there, the people who were already possessed were told by the man that the creature was their master."

"That certainly is a problem," Femur spoke. "Can you describe this creature?"

"Like I said," Arthie reiterated. "It was human, but not human. Giant keese swarmed this shadow creature. That's all I remember. All that I could see."

_Sounds like Gomess,_ Oni guessed.

_Who?_ Mystia inquired.

_A creature always surrounded by keese,_ Oni explained_. It's very fast when it attacks and does some heavy damage._

_That sounds promising..._ Mystia thought._  
><em>

"Well, this does pose a difficult problem," Femur said in thought.

"Nothing we can't handle," Mystia said aloud.

"Uh...yeah!" Scrubs boldly stated. "We can take on ten shadow creatures! We're warriors!"

Arthie looked at Scrubs confused.

"Really?" she said incredulously. "You don't stand a chance."

"Well, Miss Deity has managed to destroy many white shadows," Femur informed the group.

"White shadows?" the children asked in curiosity.

Mystia decided to explain, being the only one to have actually seen them. After many attempts of an explanation (the children kept gasping and making comments in between her sentences), she got her story out.

"I don't know, Uncle Femur," Arthie stated. "This isn't like the shadow I saw."

"None the less," Femur said, "we still need to go there. We promised the queen we would get rid of them and that's what we're going to do."

"Can we help?" Cal asked sweetly.

"I don't know," Femur answered awkwardly. "It might be..." Then he had a look on his face as if he had a brilliant idea. "Actually, you all might be able to help us out."

"What is it, uncle?" Harlin asked.

"Oni Mystia is having enough trouble dealing with the white shadows as is," Femur told them. "I was wondering if you can inform every member of our family of her travels through here. That way, she can roam without any problems. And another thing: if you find out anything useful to us, let us know the next time we come through. Got it?"

"Yes, Uncle Femur," all the children replied.

"Come on, guys!" Harlin commanded. "Let's go help the explorers on their exploration!"

"Oh, please!" Arthie complained.

With that, the stalchildren disappeared into the ground.

Mystia looked toward Kakariko. The village was in trouble! If what Arthie said was true, something terrible could befall the people. She knew she had to stop it, but getting there fast enough would be impossible without...then she had an idea.

She grabbed her ocarina she had in her pouch and began to play Starfire's Song. She hoped it worked!

Once she finished, she heard a neigh.

"What was that song you played?" Femur asked.

"Starfire's Song," Mystia replied.

From a far distance, she saw her chestnut mare heading straight for them. The horse stopped in front of Mystia and gave her a neigh of excitement as if to say, 'So good to see you!' Mystia grinned and began to pet the horse.

"Hey girl," she greeted.

She looked at Femur and Scrubs and said, "Shall we?"

* * *

><p>Izzy: End of chapter!<p>

Oni: Finally!

Femur: Way to go, kids!

Roecliff: O.o Raaaannnndoooooommmm...

Izzy: Well, it looks like the gang has a few helping hands...well, boney hands, that is.

Scrubs: Ba dum tshhhhh!

Oni: T_T Really?

Izzy: But what's this? A creature that sounds like Gomess in Kakariko? As if Mystia didn't have her hands full. What will she find in Kakariko? What is this creature Arthie mentioned? Find out next chapter!

Roecliff: And if you notice any changes in the chapters, refer to the beginning of this chapter!

Izzy: T-T Review please...


	21. Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Poe?

Izzy: Hi!

Roecliff: Well, it's about time!

Scrubs: What gives! Why did it take so long!?

Izzy: Ask my beta. He got stuck with doing schoolwork in Computer Science.

Scrubs: Sounds...complicated...

Oni: Everything is complicated to your little brain!

Scrubs: T-T Grrrr...

Femur: Actually, it's not as hard as it appears. If you take this wire-

Everyone: Shut up, Femur!

Femur: -_-

Izzy: Summary! As you know, Mystia and the gang are on their way to Kakariko. But when Femur's nieces and nephews warned them about a strange creature in the village, Mystia becomes even more determined to save it. What will they find in Kakariko? Let's find out!

Disclaimer: I hate doing this, but for the sake of NOT stealing copyrighted material, I will say that I don't own any Zelda...stuff...at all...so there...

* * *

><p>"Kakariko Village," Mystia announced.<p>

The four travelers stood before the steps of Kakariko. Mystia recognized the work of the white shadows: past the steps, the colors had been drained away, leaving everything in black and white. She dismounted Starfire and approached the steps. She heard Femur getting off Starfire and Scrubs, still on Fetch, striding up to her.

She turned to the two.

"From here," she said in a serious tone, "you will do as I say. No questioning my commands and no stalling. It will be too dangerous for you two to do that. You could end up being possessed that way, so do what I tell you. Understand?"

_Not bossy much, are you? _Oni said, sarcastically.

Both Stalfos and Deku nodded their heads. Mystia looked forward and the travelers headed upstairs to Kakariko.

* * *

><p>The setting was the same as Termina: black and white all over. Mystia had asked Oni to change her vision to the Eyes of Truth. Everywhere, she saw people in their possessed forms, but she also saw some loose white shadows. It made her feel nervous. The white shadows may have been informed by Ashasti of her whereabouts. If they find out who she was, they would try to kill her.<p>

The group headed towards a dead tree.

"M...Mystia," Scrubs murmured. "There's one heading this way."

Mystia looked right to see, as Scrubs had said, a man walking toward them. In black and white colors, he had short hair, a longish nose, and the wild red eyes of a possessed person. He wore a manic smile across his face. As he approached, he was twisting his hands tightly and chuckled through his breath.

"G...greetings," he said in a creepy daze. "Welcome...welcome. It is good...to have company, yes?"

Mystia was uncertain on how to respond. "Uh..."

"You're a...very strange species," he continued. "Your eyes...they are red...but you seem...normal."

_My eyes are red?_ Mystia asked in thought.

_They turn red when you have the Eyes of Truth._

Mystia then came up with a brilliant plan.

"Yes," she replied to the possessed man. "I have finally taken control of this being."

"WHAT?!" Femur exclaimed.

She heard Scrubs whimper. Mystia turned her head and gave them an assuring look. Both of them breathed a sigh of relief. She turned back toward the man, who appeared surprised.

"Re...really?" he said. "How! Tellmemore! Tellmeyoursecret!"

"She...she eventually gave in to my power," Mystia replied.

"Fascinating!" The man said with a bigger smile. "I wish that could happen...to me."

The man looked down at Scrubs. "Is that...a Deku Scrub?"

She felt Scrubs clutch onto her leg.

"It's quite...adorable, yes?" the man said with greed in his eyes. I wonder what it would look like...as a tree?"

"It's MY pet!" Mystia declared. "No one gets to mess with it but me!"

The man cocked his head at Mystia.

"Not even...a little bit curious?" he asked creepily.

"No. I've already seen what it's capable of. Nothing for you to trifle with, I assure you."

The man looked at Femur.

"A stalfos?" he said. "How nice! You...you are...one of us...right?"

Mystia turned to Femur and gave him a look that said, 'Go with it!'

"Uh...of course," Femur said, getting the message. He was cringing as he talked. "I've always been one of you."

"Why...do you have a hammer?" the man asked looking at the giant tool curiously.

"Uh...I like to...smash things!"

"That sounds like...fun," the man pointed out.

Mystia turned back around with a smile of satisfaction.

"Now," Mystia said to the demon, "I wish for you to tell me where your...our master is."

"Our master," he replied in thought. "...yes...he lives...in the graveyard."

"Gr...graveyard?" Scrubs chattered.

"Oh, yes, little Deku," the man said, looking down at him with wide eyes, then looked back up at Mystia. "He loves the graveyard. It's a...calming spot for him. Come. I will...take you to him."

The man led the travelers through the town. Mystia kept her glow dim just in case it aroused suspicion since she knew none of the people who were possessed had a glow. As they passed through, the villagers and white shadows stared at the group, some with manic looks of curiosity and others that just looked impressed. All in all, they looked like maniacs. They walked up a set of stairs where a well stood by. A giant windmill stood before them, still and quiet, giving it a strange, eerie look.

They turned left, past the stairs to the windmill and to a doorway. The man turned his head with a crazed smile on his face, and then walked in.

* * *

><p>"Welcome to the graveyard," the man said.<p>

In its black and white theme, the graveyard looked even more frightening. There was no wind and the air felt cold...colder than it should be. Grave stones were aligned next to each other. A huge stone slab wall stood before them at the gate with engraved writings. Mystia felt a huge lump in her throat as if her heart was trying to get out.

"Isn't it lovely?" the man asked, creepily. "It's my favorite spot...to be in. It feels like...home to me." The man turned to them, his red eyes staring at her. He chuckled through his breath, "I will...leave you to your own devices, yes? Have a nice time."

Then, the man wandered past them, heading back to Kakariko. As soon as he was out of range, she gave a heavy sigh.

"Phew! Thank Farore!" she said in relief.

"I must say, miss," Femur spoke. "You sure know how to act. You almost seemed to fit into their environment."

"I'm glad you're not really possessed!" Scrubs said.

_Cleverly done, Mystia, _Oni complimented.

Mystia smirked in response. She approached the slab to read what it had to say:

_R.I.P._

_Here lie the souls of those who swore fealty to the Royal Family of Hyrule._

_The Sheikah, guardians of the Royal Family and founders of Kakariko, watch over these spirits in their eternal slumber._

_Oooooo! Creepy!_ Oni teased.

_Cut it out, will you?_ Mystia scolded.

"What does it say, Mystia?" Scrubs inquired.

"It says something about those who swore loyalty to the Royal Family rests here," Mystia replied. "Come on. Let's find out where this creature is."

They walked past the slab and into the graveyard itself. Mystia shivered from the cold.

"I always hated graveyards," Femur moaned. "They give me the spooks."

"Really?" Mystia asked, curiously. "I'd figure you would like it here."

"If you were a stalfos, would you want to be in places where you see dead bodies deteriorate?" Femur responded as he turned green. "It makes me sick just thinking about it."

"I don't like graveyards period!" Scrubs said nervously.

Then, Mystia heard a growl.

"Fetch!" Femur hissed at the wolfos. "What's wrong with you? There's nothing here but gravestones!"

Fetch then started barking. Mystia turned to look at Fetch, but her vision was blocked by a frightening face.

"Hello!" it said.

Mystia gave a scream of terror and jumped back. She heard Scrubs squeal and Femur shout. Mystia grabbed her sword from behind her and pointed it toward the figure.

It floated before them, holding a lantern in its black hands. It wore a gown of ghostly purple and black, covering its missing feet. Its hair was a bright lavender and done in two side buns. It had a shadow-like face with only two white eyes visible.

It cackled in laughter.

"That was perfect!" it said. "Three in one spook! How grand!"

"What are you?" Mystia asked aloud.

"That's a poe," Femur answered. "These ghosts like to haunt people in graves or haunted places."

"A smart stalfos, eh?" the poe said, curiously. "How interesting! Last I checked, stalfos were the stupid ones of the dead race."

"Now, see here, madam!" Femur exclaimed, offended.

"Oh, come on, boney," the poe said calmly. "I was only having fun."

"You call scaring people to death fun?!" Femur said indignantly.

_Um..._ Oni started. _He's already dead? What's his issue?_

"I'm a poe!" said the female ghost. "It's what I do!"

"I'm surprised you haven't tried to kill us off yet!" Femur growled.

_Great idea!_ Oni affirmed sarcastically. _Hint to the poe to kill us! And by us I mean you and me. The others can perish if they want to._

Mystia sighed in aggravation. _Horrid much?_

The poe backed up slightly and crossed her black arms. Her eyes looked angry.

"Kill you? No. Too frustrated to kill."

"I hate to ask such a strange question," Mystia said, grudgingly, "but...why don't you want to kill us?"

"Look around you!" the poe exclaimed with her arms stretched wide. "Do you know how long it's been since anyone besides these stupid white shadows and possessed people have come in here?"

"Uh..." Femur started.

"Exactly!" the poe interrupted loudly. "No one! I've tried scaring those guys, but they take it like they're receiving a great treat or something!"

"That's one way of explaining it," Mystia said to herself aloud.

"On top of that, they're more frightening than I am! It's infuriating! If those white demons don't leave here, I might explode!"

_That would be fun to watch,_ Oni smirked.

"This is MY territory!" the poe complained on. "I'M supposed to scare people away from here! I can't stand it!"

The poe screamed in anger and everyone covered their ears from the high pitched shrill. Only Femur acted normal.

"Get over yourself, woman!" Femur exclaimed. "We actually came here to get rid of them!"

The poe stopped and looked down at the group with a wide-eyed expression.

"You are?" she asked in surprise.

"Miss Deity here can destroy the white shadows," Femur informed, pointing at Mystia.

The poe, curiously, floated quickly to Mystia, getting into her face.

"You caaaaaaaaannn?" the poe exclaimed.

"I...I'm the only Hylian that can," Mystia responded nervously.

The poe rose up in the air with excitement.

"Whoopie!" she proclaimed, doing a quick spin. "My troubles are over!" It looked down at the group with smiling eyes. "This is the best day ever! At last! Those demons will be gone! I'll even make you a deal! If you can get rid of every single demon in this town-"

"You'll grant us three wishes!" Scrubs declared.

"Noooooo!" the poe said. "I will assist you on one task. Only one! Agreed?"

"On one condition," Mystia asked with a smirk. "You can still scare people, but no more killing anyone or anything in this world."

"What!?" the poe shouted in disbelief. "Are you serious?! I can't believe you're saying this! Killing is all part of the fun!"

"Then, I see no reason to destroy the white shadows for you," Mystia told the poe as she turned away to leave the graveyard.

"Wait! Wait! Okay! Okay! I'll agree! Gee, you're a tough one to barter with."

"Don't forget that I can kill you, too," Msytia pointed out. "Now, can you show us where the creature is hiding?"

"Creature?" the poe asked curiously.

"The apparent 'master' of this village."

"Oh..." The poe said with a worried look in her eyes. "This way..."

The poe floated away to the other side of the graveyard. When Mystia followed it, she found herself standing before a big, deep hole.

"It lies in there," the poe said, quietly. "In the Royal Family's grave."

The wood of Scrubs and the bones of Femur rattled in nervousness. Fetch whined and backed away.

_Cowards!_ Oni boldly stated.

"Wasn't there a gravestone here?" Mystia asked.

"Yes," the poe whispered, "but it was destroyed many years ago. It was never replaced."

"Why are you whispering?" Mystia asked confused.

"Do you think I want that creature to hear me?" the poe asked. "I want no part of it!"

Mystia turned to the group behind her.

"If you guys feel nervous going down there, I can go myself," Mystia told them.

"I...I'm not scared!" Scrubs said with a tremble. "I'm still the bravest Deku here. I can go with you no problem."

"There might be..." Femur began, then gulped. "...dead creatures down there...like...redeads. You might freeze by their screams, but...I can handle them. As much as I find them quite annoying."

Fetch continued to whine with his tail and ears drooping and his eyes sad. Mystia knelt down to the ground and petted the frightened wolfos.

"There, there, Fetch," she told him. "There's nothing to worry about. Why don't you stand guard while we go down there?"

He answered with a sloppy kiss on her cheek.

_Eww!_ Oni said with disgust. _You don't know where that tongue has been!_

Mystia stood up and looked at the poe in a serious tone.

"Remember our agreement," she told her.

"Yeah, yeah!" the poe replied with a roll of its eyes. "I'll remember."

Mystia jumped into the hole, followed by Femur and Scrubs. The last thing she heard was the cackle of the poe above them.

* * *

><p>Izzy: How's that for a chapter?<p>

Oni: That's it!? Come on! Where's the action!?

Scrubs: I keep feeling more and more nervous by the minute!

Femur: I sense a dark chapter coming soon...

Izzy: You could be right, Femur. Mystia, Scrubs, and Femur have no idea what to expect inside the Royal Family's Grave. What will they find in there? Will it help get rid of the white shadows? Will the poe keep her end of the bargin? Find out next chapter! Mwahahahahaha!

Roecliff: O.o Sometimes I wonder about your sanity...

Izzy: Don't worry about my sanity...it was gone many years ago! ^-^

Roecliff: (sarcastically) Joy! Okay, readers! Don't forget to reveiw! Authoress really likes reviews and critics! Don't make her sad!

Izzy: Yeah! No sad face for me if you do! See? :(

Roecliff: Oie!


	22. A Gift from the King

Izzy: Hellooooooooooo readers! At last, the next chapter is posted!

Group: Finally!

Izzy: Complications are finally solved and I can finally post this chapter! I know that I have left you in deep suspense, but at last your curiosities will be satisfied...or will it?

Roecliff: Don't even joke!

Izzy: Summary! Mystia and the gang have landed inside the Royal Family's grave. What exactly will they find down there-

Oni: ENOUGH WITH THE SUMMARY! GET ON WITH IT!

Izzy: T-T (Gee, bossy much?) Okay! On with the Chapter!

Disclaimer: Too...many...disclaimers...you all should know it by now! I don't own Zelda...

* * *

><p><em>Ugh! What is that smell? <em>Oni asked in disgust._  
><em>

"Smells moldy down here," Mystia said while wrinkling her nose to the smell.

"More like rotted flesh," Femur gagged.

"Eww!" Scrubs exclaimed.

The travelers landed on a ramp leading downward toward a room. It was very dark, but Mystia fixed that by increasing her glow. The room they entered was laid out in stones, making it more like a tomb than just a hole in the ground. The air was damp and smelled strongly of death and decay. Water dripped from the cracks in the ceiling (Mystia worried a little that the ceiling was leaking). The bones of several skeletons were scattered across the ground and it made Femur turn green with sickness.

Nevertheless, they continued to approach the tomb until a ledge with stone stairs leading up to a door was before them.

"This way," Mystia said, approaching the steps.

She climbed up the tallest one easily. Then she turned and held out her arms. Femur picked Scrubs up and handed the little Deku to her. As she set Scrubs on the top step, Femur pulled himself up. Then, all three walked through the door and into a hallway.

"Something doesn't sit right in my bones," Femur mentioned.

Mystia agreed. Something about the air seemed wrong. She started to get nervous, but pressed on anyway.

She found herself in a room dotted with three pools of what looked like poisonous green liquid, which quickly evaporated and created a strange green haze all around the room. On each side there were...

"Din! ReDeads!" Mystia swore.

The ReDeads moaned, but never moved from their spots. They may have appeared to not notice Mystia and her friends, but it did nothing to change the uneasiness she felt.

"I'll test it first," Femur said, turning greener as he said this.

Mystia knew Femur hated ReDeads more than any other dead creature, so taking that bold step was surprising. She couldn't help but be impressed.

He stepped in front of her and began to make his way through the room. He walked through the green pool with no damage, then walked to the left through another pool. He was soon on the other side.

"I would not suggest walking through the bog like I did," Femur told them. "It is poisonous."

"How do you know?" Mystia asked him.

"I felt it go through my bones," the Stalfos informed her. "It's not a nice feeling."

"Then how do you expect us to get through?" Scrubs asked.

Mystia pulled out her sword. "Let's try this."

She swung her sword at one ReDead. When it made contact, the ReDead recoiled. Mystia made a few more swings. The ReDead fell on its face with a 'thud'. It lay there for a while before fading out of existence.

"Now, we can walk around them," Mystia said with a small smile.

She picked up Scrubs and, carefully walked around the poisonous pools to the other side safely. She set Scrubs down and all three walked down the dark hallway.

They soon found themselves in a large room. On either side of them were canals with the same streams of poison. A walkway led to a set of stairs, which led to a large gravestone. Two lit torches revealed engraved writings on the stone slab.

_Mother of Odolwa!_ Oni cursed. _A dead end?!_

"What's the meaning of this?" Femur asked, frustrated. "Stupid poe! She led us down into a trap!"

Mystia approached the tomb, curious to know what it said. She began to read:

_This poem is dedicated to the memory of the dearly departed members of the Royal Family._

_The rising sun will eventually set,_

_A newborn's life will fade._

_From sun to moon, moon to sun..._

_Give peaceful rest to the living dead._

_Restless souls wander where they don't belong._

_Bring them calm with the Sun's Song._

"The Sun's Song?" Mystia inquired.

"That must be the song that makes day into night and night into day," Femur responded.

Mystia saw music notes engraved on the bottom left corner of the stone. Before she had the chance to read it, she suddenly heard a loud wail of agony.

She jumped back in fear at the sight of a distorted, ghostly figure floating right above her.

"AAAAAHHHHH!" screamed Scrubs and Femur behind her.

She turned to see Scrubs in Femur's arms, both of them shaking in fear. She turned back curiously toward the distortion.

"Help...me," it howled. "No rest...for the dead...stop...the monster..."

It disappeared inside the slab. Suddenly, the stone cracked and crumbled before them, revealing a hidden hallway lit with torches.

"No way am I going in there!" Scrubs stated nervously.

"It's either that or the ReDeads," Mystia mentioned as she began to walk down the hallway.

The other two hesitated, then reluctantly followed right behind her.

She felt uneasy again. It felt so dark...so evil. She didn't like it at all. She wanted to turn around and forget about the creature...but she promised Zelda she would restore Kakariko, no matter what.

The group made it to the end of the hall. The room just beyond it was circular in shape. The wall was covered with grave stone slabs spaced evenly apart. Engraved in each stone was some kind of old Hylian writing that Mystia didn't recognize. The one before them was the biggest one with an altar. She decided to approach it.

BOOM!

The door behind her closed and a wrought iron gate appeared, locking them inside.

"Din!" she hissed as she quickly grabbed the hilt of the Helix Sword, looking around the room suspiciously.

"I knew it!" Femur declared. "That poe set us up for a funeral!"

"What do we do now?" Scrubs asked, trembling.

A laugh suddenly echoed throughout the room. A deep, dark, cackling laugh. The sound had come from behind them. Mystia turned to see a black mass of a blob rising from the ground.

"Wha...what is that?!" Scrubs squealed.

_By the goddess's clock!_ Oni whispered in frustration. _It can't be.._

_What?_ Mystia demanded. _What is it?_

_It's..._ Oni started to say.

The blob began to take form. It appeared to look human at first, but the dark mass remained like a cloak. Red, demon cat-like eyes appeared, followed by a mouth full of sharp teeth. Then, a red orb appeared on its chest. Out of nowhere, a swarm of keese surrounded the creature. It held out its arm and a giant scythe appeared. It grasped the deadly weapon in both hands and cackled again.

_Gometh!_ Oni exclaimed with a growl.

Mystia quickly pulled out the Double Helix and got into a fighting stance.

_Mystia, wait! _Oni cried out. _There's something you need to know about-_

But Mystia didn't listen. She charged at the creature with a yell. Gometh watched with pleased eyes as she rushed up to him. To her surprise, the monster quickly swung the scythe at her, the blade making contact with her side. The curved edge blade caught her and swung her to the other side of the crypt, making her fall to the ground.

She screamed from the pain in her side. She looked down to see black blood seeping through the side of her white tunic. This time, it was pouring out. She felt nauseous and started to cough up blood.

_AAAAUUUUUGGGGHHHHHH!_ Oni screamed at the pain.

"MYSTIA!" Scrubs squealed.

Suddenly, she felt wind whipping around her. Tons of keese surrounded her. The pain was intense. Her vision was blurring. She looked up weakly. Gometh was on top of her, no longer cloaked by the keese. If she could only grab her sword...

_Mystia! Move! Get away from him!_ Oni shouted in her head.

Mystia stared in fear. She was frozen in place from the pain and the demonic eyes that stared at her.

Then, her eyes were drawn to the orb in the creature's chest, which began to glow a bright red.

_Mystia! Don't look into the orb! _Oni warned._ Don't look!_

She stared hypnotically into the orb, feeling entranced by its dark power. It glowed brighter and brighter and began to hum with a constant, low tone sound. She felt numb to everything around her. Everything seemed to disappear, leaving only the humming, glowing, red orb. She felt a part of the orb. Becoming one with the orb.

Images inside it flashed before her very eyes. She saw Meladon in flames. Her people...her family...dead and bleeding with their eyes opened in death. She could hear Tiko screaming in agony, the sound of the mayor gasping his last words, and Ashasti's horrid laugh. Then, the beast showed up: the flaming hair, the giant hand-like paws, and those deadly red eyes...

She couldn't think anymore. She felt her breath being pulled away from her. She wanted to tear away, but she couldn't fight. She couldn't feel except for her fear and her very life being sucked away from her. The creature had her trapped where he wanted her. The image of the beast still remained in the orb, looking at her angrily.

She couldn't escape.

She couldn't move.

She couldn't scream.

She couldn't...breathe...

_That's it!_ She heard Oni shout in anger. _This creature is going down!_

Suddenly, she felt her soul separate from her body. Soon, she could breathe again, feel again, and see and hear again.

But she noticed something else.

She was moving...but she wasn't moving her body.

_Wha...What's going on?_ She asked in fear.

_Don't worry. I'll take care of it._

Oni's voice...it didn't ring in her head. It echoed...all around her. She realized what happened: Oni had taken over her body!

She heard him shout and watched as the monster recoiled. She felt her body shift as Oni stood up. She grimaced and grumbled with the pain thrusting through her side. She felt Oni move towards the sword and pick it up.

Then, her gaze shifted to Femur and Scrubs.

"Hey, Deku boy!" she heard Oni's voice command rudely. "Maybe instead of quivering like a squirrel, you can make yourself useful and shoot some nuts at this creep!"

_Oni! _Mystia shouted angrily. _Leave him be!_

"You look like Miss Deity," Femur pointed out, "but you don't sound like her."

"Who are you?" Scrubs demanded. "What have you done with Mystia?"

"Just do it, you piece of driftwood!" Oni demanded rudely.

_Oni! Cut it out! _Mystia scolded._ What are you trying to do?_

_Save our necks, unlike you!_ Oni told her harshly.

_So you just decided to take over my body without asking!_ Mystia argued.

_Oh! You think you could have done better?_ the boy replied.

_I want my body back!_ Mystia demanded.

_And let us get killed by this shadow monster? I don't think so!_ Oni said in refusal.

_ONI!_ the girl shouted.

Scrubs glared at her and asked Femur to hand him a nut. Her sight swerved to see Gometh staring at her curiously.

"You remember me, Gometh?" Oni shouted at the creature. "You traitor! I will KILL you for what you did!"

__You ___know ___this thing___?!_ Mystia exclaimed in question.

__I can't explain it right now___!_ Oni growled. __As you can see, I'm doing us a favor___!_

Gometh's demonic eyes widened in recognition Without hesitation, the creature heading for them at full speed. The keese had surrounded the monster again, protecting the red orb.

Oni moved quickly before the scythe struck him. A Deku nut landed and blew up in front of Gometh. He stood there, dazed by the sudden flash. The keese departed from the creature in a hurry, revealing the red orb. Without a moment thought, Oni used his sword to strike at the orb, cracking it.

The monster shrieked in anguish, hurting Mystia's ears. The keese swarmed Gometh again, this time covering his whole body. As suddenly as they appeared, they were gone again.

And so was Gometh.

"GOHT!" she heard Oni swear. "He escaped!" He looked into the air and pointed his finger to the ceiling. "THIS ISN'T OVER, GOMETH!"

_Escaped? __Mystia thought confused._

Oni fell to the ground with a thud. He breathed heavily with the pain and grasped the wound at his side.

"Mother of Odolwa!" He swore again and looked up at Femur, who eyed him suspiciously. "Well, don't just stand there, you bone head! Get me that medicine!"

Femur quickly put his hand in his pouch and pulled out the bottle of red liquid. He approached Oni.

"I'm assuming you're this Oni that Miss Deity keeps talking about," Femur said in a low, harsh tone.

"Never mind that!" Oni stated angrily. "Just give it to me! Now!"

_You're so disrespectful!_ Mystia said harshly, just as out of breath as Oni was.

_I'm trying to save our lives here! _Oni groaned in anger._ If you haven't noticed, we're dying from this wound!_

He swiped the bottle from Femur, pulled the cork, and gulped down the syrup. A nasty taste filled Mystia's mouth.

_Yuck!_ she thought.

Then, she felt the same sensation that she had felt when she had taken the healing potion for her wounded shoulder. Soon enough, the pain was gone.

_This may feel weird,_ she heard Oni say to her.

She felt herself slipping back into her body. She could feel her own heart, her own body, her own thoughts. Slipping back in, though, made her feel woozy. Her chest felt tight from not breathing for that first few seconds of time. As she felt her lungs, she began to breathe with heavy huffs.

"Mystia?" she heard Scrubs say quietly.

Mystia looked up at the Deku and the Stalfos.

"Guys..." she breathed and noted with relief that the voice was hers.

"Are you alright, miss?" Femur asked.

"I...I'm not...not certain yet..." she admitted.

"What happened?" Scrubs said with worry. "After the keese surrounded you when you got hurt, I thought you were dead for sure!"

"Then, you acted weird," Femur continued the subject. "I knew right away that it was this 'Oni' you spoke of."

"Oni...he...he took over...my body..." Mystia replied in short breaths.

_Be glad I did!_ Oni spoke at last. _We would have been dead if I hadn't done so! You should thank me for saving your skin!_

_What did I tell you about taking over my body!?_ Mystia shouted at him.

_Well, if you had been _listening _to me, I wouldn't have h__ad_ a _need_ _to!_ Oni pointed out.

Mystia began to protest, but stopped herself. She knew he was right. He was trying to tell her about Gometh, but she bullheadedly attacked the creature without any knowledge on how to kill it.

_Gometh feeds off your fears,_ Oni continued informatively. _When he does, he feeds off your life. He uses the orb to hypnotize you and drain your life into it. It's also his weak point._

Oni paused, then scoffed. _But if you hadn't acted so impulsively, you would have known that. Instead, __you ignored my warnings and nearly got us killed! You think I was going to sit back while you were having life taken away from you...and me? Not while I'm trapped in here!_

Mystia sighed. He was right. She would have died. She knew somehow she was dying, but...but he saved her. He saved her life! Even though he took possession of her body, he saved it and then let her have her body back. He had every opportunity to take her body...her mind...her heart...but he didn't. He didn't take advantage of her in her weakened state.

_Why? _she thought to herself. _Why didn't he do it?_

_For one thing, _Oni responded to her secret question. _I'm not a fan of taking over a female's body. You know how awkward that would be?_

She grinned and chuckled at the thought.

_And..._Oni began, then paused. _And...taking your body at a vulnerable moment...would disregard the promise I made to you. And..._He started to speak proudly. _And I should let you make that decision. I promised that I wouldn't invade your privacy. That includes your body._

"Warriors..." they heard a ghostly voice say.

Holding her weapon close, Mystia stood up quickly and turned to the sound. Before them was the same distortion they saw earlier. This time, it came into focus.

It was a man. Everything about him was ghostly in appearance: pale face, snow white beard, sad eyes, faded royal red robe, and a dim crown set on his snowy white hair.

"Thank you, warriors," the man said. "You have saved us from Gometh's power."

"Us?" Scrubs restated.

Then more ghosts emerged from the standing gravestones and hovered all around them.

"WHAAA!" Scrubs exclaimed and jumped into Femur's arms.

Mystia examined the ghosts and noticed they each had faded colored robes and crowns. Knowing that it was safe, she placed her weapon on her back.

"Because of your great courage," the man continued, "you have defeated the dark creature."

_You mean _I _defeated the dark creature, _Oni reminded.

"Who are you?" Mystia asked the first ghost.

The man lowered his head and held his hand to his chest in a small bow.

"I am Daphus Hyrule, late king of Hyrule."

"Late king?" Femur inquired.

"You were the one who was murdered by the King of Evil?" Mystia asked.

The king nodded.

"Seventeen years ago," he told them, "I was sleeping in my chambers during a storm. I heard a noise in my room and I woke up...only to find the Dark King hovering over me with a deadly sword. Before I had the chance to react..."

"He killed you..." Mystia finished.

"My soul won't rest until Hyrule is back to normal," the king said dejectedly, "and who knows when that will happen? The Dark King is too powerful of a man to stop." He looked toward Mystia. "Yet, there might still be hope for this world. You did stop the creature, did you not?"

Mystia looked down in shame and embarrassment.

"No, sire," she admitted. "Oni did."

"Oni? Which one of you is Oni?" the king asked.

Mystia looked back up and pointed to her head. "Oni is in here. He lives inside...the mask I wear."

"Ah," the king said in realization. "Yes. The Fierce Deity Mask. My daughter told me about it. So, you are not who you appear to be?"

"No, sire," Mystia confirmed.

"Then why do you wear the mask?" Daphus asked.

"Oni won't let me take it off," Mystia informed him.

"I see," the king replied as he floated down to their level. "Well, whether you did it or Oni did it, I want to give you something in return for your help. Open my grave."

"Huh?" Scrubs said, confused.

"Open your grave?" Mystia restated in question. "Why?"

"Inside is a tool that could be useful to you someday," the king said. "It can be used for defense."

_You might want to take it, _Oni spoke up. _You never know when you might need it._

Mystia nodded in response and walked up to the king's grave stone. She pushed the heavy slab with a heave. It shifted slightly as she pushed until it became top heavy and crashed to the ground.

"Yikes!" Scrubs squeaked.

Mystia stared inside the grave in disgust. It was the king, but rotted and pruned like a ReDead. The red robes were rotted and the crown was tarnished, giving it a grotesque look. In the king's hands was a shiny blue, metal shield large enough for a normal-sized Hylian to carry. The Hylian crest of a golden bird was in the center and above it was the symbol of the Triforce.

Mystia carefully reached for it, prying it from the skeletal remains. She succeeded without breaking anything and held it in her hands. It was light enough to carry around, but heavy enough to use for defense.

"This is the Hylian shield," Daphus told her. "My soldiers used ones like these for many years. I hope this will come in use for you."

Mystia nodded and placed the shield into her magic pouch. "Thank you, sire. I will handle it with care."

"May the goddesses of Hyrule guide you," the dead royal blessed.

The once old king of Hyrule disappeared in the darkness along with the other ghosts that had surrounded them.

"That...looks...so...disturbing..." Femur said, who had been looking at the dead king's body in the grave. Suddenly feeling queasy, he turned away.

"Don't throw up now!" Scrubs told the skeleton.

_Do Stalfos throw up?_ Mystia asked herself.

_I don't even want to know!_ Oni quickly responded.

Sounding nauseated, Femur asked Mystia, "Can we go now, miss?"

"Yes, Femur," Mystia said with a smile. "We can leave now."

They walked out of the crypt.

Down the hallway, a thought came to Mystia.

_Oni?_ she said to the boy in her head.

_Are you going to ask me about Gometh? _he asked.

_Yes,_ she confirmed._ You said that he escaped. Are you sure about that?_

_I only cracked the orb,_ Oni told her_, which means-_

_He's still out there, _she finished.

_Now, who is finishing sentences?_ Oni smirked.

Mystia smirked back. _Now, you know how I feel._

Oni paused slightly before continuing_, __Anyway, yes, he is out there still. I wouldn't doubt that we will run into him again._

_Let's hope it's not anytime soon,_ Mystia thought. _This time, though, I'll be prepared._

_Now that I've told you, _Oni pointed out._  
><em>

_I'm curious, though,_ the deity girl went on_. How do you know Gometh?_

Oni was silent for a moment, then sighed and said, _Let's just say, we... worked together a long time ago. Then, one day, he betrayed my trust and did something that he's going to pay for in the end._

_What did he do? _she asked._  
><em>

_I don't feel comfortable talking about it, _he responded with a grimace._  
><em>

Mystia was going to get on his case, but she could sense tension from him. It felt uncomfortable, so she kept quiet on the subject.

There were a few minutes of silence between them.

Finally, the girl quietly said_,__ By the way...I just want to say...thank you. Even though I didn't like it, you chose to take my body to save us. I am very grateful for it._

_Just don't get yourself into any more trouble!_ Oni warned._ I don't need to save you...us...every time you get us into any danger. I won't always be there to help, you know, so start being careful._

_Sure thing, chief!_ Mystia said, sarcastically.

As the travelers approached the exit, they heard the sound of barking.

"That poe better not be torturing Fetch!" Femur grumbled.

But Mystia knew the difference between a wolfos' howl and bark. To her ears, Fetch sounded angry...and scared.

"No, Femur," Mystia said with worry. "Something is wrong. Come on!"

* * *

><p>Izzy: End of chapter.<p>

Scrubs: What happened with Fetch!?

Femur: Yeah! What happened to my loyal companion?

Oni: Who cares!?

Izzy: So our friends have met the strange creature and defeated him-

Oni: (Curse Gometh...)

Izzy: ...and they even met the late King of Hyrule and found out how he died-

Roecliff: Which is very sad. *sniff*

Izzy: ...and now Mystia has a shield to add to her collection-

Scrubs: I don't see a reason why she would need it. She can defend herself-

Izzy: WILL YOU GUYS STOP INTERRUPTING?! GOSH! Anyway, now Fetch appears in trouble-

Femur: Poor Fetch...

Izzy: T-T Really? So...what is happening with Fetch? Find out next chapter!

Roecliff: Fellow readers, be sure to review! Authoress would greatly appreciate it!

Izzy: *sigh* So glad to be back! Happy reading!


	23. You Again!

Roecliff: Hello, loyal fans! This is Roecliff the muse speaking. I'm going to take over for Izzy today because she's feeling kind of sick today.

Scrubs: Awwww! :(

Oni: Really? A stomach ache is a sickness?

Femur: When it involves pain, it is serious.

Oni: How would you know?! You don't have any organs!

Roecliff: ANYWAY! So, I shall do the summary for her as she has written. *pulls out paper and glasses* Ahem! "So, Mystia and the gang had their first encounter with a creature named Gometh and has defeated him...for the time being. Now, they hear Fetch barking and Mystia suspects something terrible. What will they find above the graveyard? Is there danger? Let's find out!"

Disclaimer: She aslo wants to note (as she grotesquely hates doing) that she doesn't own Zelda. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>They quickly hopped on a glowing platform. The next thing they knew, they had been whisked back to the graveyard. Fetch was barking loudly; and standing not too far from the royal family grave were the possessed villagers. They were all standing there with manic looks on their faces.<p>

"This can't be good," Femur gulped.

_Mystia,_ Oni whispered. _They're not alone._

Oni changed her vision. White shadows were intermingled among the villagers.

_Din!_ Mystia swore. _Just what we need right now!_

The man that they spoke with before stepped forward.

"You were cleaver to sneak past us," he said. "You tricked us all. You...you sent away our master...our...master...our..."

He became angry. "HOWDAREYOU! YOUSHALLSUFFERANDDIE! KIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLTHEM!"

Mystia pulled out her sword, but stopped. She couldn't kill these people. They were being controlled by white demons. On top of that, they were people. _Her_ people! If she killed one of them...she couldn't even imagine herself killing them. She would be a monster to the world!

_You have to do something!_ Oni shouted. _They're going to kill _you_ if you just stand there!_

"I've had enough of these crazy people!" Scrubs shouted with frustration.

The little Deku stepped in front of her, holding his arms out.

"It's about time I give them a thing or two!" he declared.

"Scrubs! Wait!" Mystia said trying to stop him.

He fired a Deku nut at the crowd. It exploded, which caused the people to act crazy. Mystia's vision revealed the white shadows being stunned by the explosion as well.

Suddenly, the white shadows inside of the villagers flew out and fell to the ground in a daze.

_Did..._ Oni started. _Did you just see..._

_Yes...yes I did,_ Mystia replied, just as stunned as the white shadows.

"Scrubs! You're a genius!" Mystia exclaimed excited.

Scrubs looked back at Mystia, quizzically. "I am?"

"Fire more nuts!" Mystia commanded with determination.

Scrubs fired another nut. Mystia ran up to the white shadows and killed them with her sword. She heard villagers screaming in terror and spotted them running out of the graveyard. The remaining white shadows were trying to follow them.

"Fire over there, Scrubs!" Mystia commanded.

Scrubs turned toward the exit and blasted another nut toward the white creatures. The people were unaffected, but the demons stopped in their tracks. She took her chance and ran up to them. She whipped her blade twice, shooting energy beams toward the white shadows from either side and then slashed the rest of them in one quick blow.

"Skull and crossbones!" Femur exclaimed in pride. "I have no idea what you just did, but that...was brilliant!"

Fetch barked in agreement.

Mystia rushed up to Scrubs, picked him up, and gave him a hug.

"You did it, Scrubs!" she said in excitement. "Thank you!"

"I don't know exactly what I did," Scrubs said, confused, "but...you're welcome."

She felt his tiny arms squeezing her the best way a Deku could in a hug.

"BOO!" yelled a voice.

All three jumped with a shout.

"Hahahahahaha!" the voice cackled. "That felt good! You guys are too easy!"

They all turned to the voice. It was the same ghostly poe from before.

"And I suppose you found that funny?!" Femur said, fuming.

"I want to thank you for getting rid of those creeps," the poe said with gratitude. "Now, I can scare the living daylights out of people again! I can assure you that I will help you out, but...only one time. That's it."

"And no more killing," Mystia reminded her with a smirk.

"Yes..." the poe groaned. "...and no more killing."

"So, how do we find you?" Mystia asked.

"Just call me by my name." the ghost replied.

"Which is?" the deity inquired.

The poe cringed. "...Mabel."

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Femur laughed so hard that he fell to the ground. "Mabel! You're name...HAHAHAHA...is Mabel?! HAHAHAHA! That is so funny! HAHAHAHAHA!"

"More than I can say for you, Mr. Funny Bones!" the poe growled.

"Okay! Okay, enough!" Mystia said with a chuckle. "We have to get going. We need to head to Death Mountain to get the Stone of Fire."

Femur stood up with a heavy, happy sigh. "My apologies, miss. We shall get started. Catch you later...Mabel!"

He laughed some more and walked away.

"Just you wait, bone head!" the poe shouted. "I'll get you yet!"

"Thank you for your help earlier," Mystia told the poe, trying to distract her. "I'm very grateful for it."

"Sure," she replied with a sigh. "Now, get out of here before I scare the soul out of you!"

Mystia could only smile and shake her head as she walked away. " Til next time, Mabel!"

"Good luck, giant!" Mabel said with a cackle. "That is, if you have any!"

* * *

><p>"Mabel! Of all the names for a poe, she ended up with Mabel! And she says I'm an embarrassment to the dead race!" Femur snickered.<p>

The four travelers walked out of the graveyard and back to Kakariko Village. Mystia saw that the colors had returned to the village. It looked peaceful and happy. Even the windmill appeared grand as it finally spun around, creaking and moaning. However, no one was in sight.

"Where is everybody?" Scrubs asked.

"Maybe they're all in their houses," Mystia guessed.

_They're probably hiding from you,_ Oni pointed out. _After all, you are a random, scary giant carrying a sword. _

_Very funny, _Mystia replied sarcastically.

"Hello again!" greeted a voice nearby.

_Oh no!_ Oni groaned. _It's him!_

Mystia knew that voice, too. She turned around with a glare.

"You again!" she said through gritted teeth.

It was the Happy Mask Salesman. He had an enormous bag on his back and was still smiling the same freaky smile.

"You have come a long way, child," he said to her. "I'm impressed. And now, another village is safe, thanks to you. You have done it once again!"

"Who's that?" Femur asked Mystia.

"The one who got me into this mess in the first place," Mystia replied frustrated, "And he also sent me on this crazy quest!"

"I only merely suggested," the man responded, still smiling. "That is different. You chose to come here. Also, it was you who found the mask, was it not?"

"Why are you here?" Mystia asked him, "You didn't come here to give me more riddles, did you?"

"Actually," the man answered, "I came here for another reason." He set down his over-sized bag on the ground. "I decided that once Kakariko was back to normal, I would open my mask shop here."

"Open your mask shop?!" Mystia exclaimed angrily. "The Dark King is out there causing chaos in the world and you're wanting to open a mask shop in the middle of a town that was being terrorized by Gometh and a bunch of white shadows?! What is wrong with you?! Is business all you worry about?!"

"Business is business, no matter the storm." the man replied.

"Oh, give me a break!" the girl fumed.

"Even during your darkest times, you must do what you can and have faith," the Happy Mask Salesman told her. "That is the way of life. You will understand that someday."

"Oni Mystia!" a voice exclaimed.

She turned quickly behind her. Captain Scevik was running up the stairs towards them. He was wearing a black cloak over his deep blue tunic.

"Captain?" she said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see how the village was holding up, but..." He looked around, then back at Mystia. "...but you did it! You saved the village."

"It was nothing!" Scrubs interjected with pride. "We can do anything!"

"Scrubs here is the real hero," Mystia mentioned. "He figured out how to free the people from the white shadows."

"That's what I was doing?" Scrubs asked curiously.

"That's right!" the deity responded.

"Really?" Scevik said as he ruffled Scrubs' brown leaves. "Great job, kid!"

"Yeah...thanks..." he replied, straightening his leaves in annoyance.

"Do you know what happened with the other villagers?" Femur asked Scevik.

"My soldiers and I saw them scrambling from the village gate in a panic," he reported, "so we gathered them and brought them to the base where they would be safe."

Mystia turned to the salesman, who was rummaging through his bag.

"Looks like you won't be able to open your shop here," Mystia said with a satisfying grin.

"One must start somewhere even when there is no one," he replied with a smile. "You cannot get someone from nowhere, thus I will start somewhere so I can get someone."

Mystia rolled her eyes and looked back at Scevik. "See what I have to deal with?"

"He's always like that," Scevik replied with a shrug. He then looked down with worry. "What happened to you?"

She looked down as well. She noticed the black blood-stained tunic on her side. She had forgotten that it was still there.

"Oh! It's nothing!" she replied nervously.

"Are you bleeding?" the man asked worried.

"No! No," Mystia assured with a smile. "It's just stained. That's all. Nothing to worry about."

"Sometimes I wonder about you, Oni Mystia," he stated with a grin. "You are full of surprises."

"Heh, sure!" she said, sheepishly. "That's me! Full of surprises."

_Are you blushing?_ Oni asked.

_Why are you asking that? _Mystia asked._  
><em>

"Excuse me!" Scrubs growled.

Both Mystia and Scevik looked down to see Scrubs.

"We need to go now," the little Deku insisted, addressing Mystia. "We still have to find the stones, remember?"

"Right," Mystia said with a nod. She looked at Scevik. "Thanks for your help."

"Not at all," Scevik replied. "Just...be careful out there, okay?"

Mystia smiled politely. "I...I'll try..."

"COME ON!" Scrubs demanded as he pulled on Mystia's tunic.

"I should go now before your little friend drags you," Scevik said as he turned to leave. "See you soon, Oni Mystia!"

Mystia waved goodbye as Scevik rushed down the stairs and toward the exit.

"Do my sockets deceive me," Femur remarked, "or do I see a little bit of flirting between you two?"

"Come on, Femur!" Mystia replied, blushing even more. "We're...we're just acquaintances."

_Seems more like bosom companions__, _Oni scoffed.

_Do I sense a bit of jealousy in your tone?_ Mystia teased.

_Me? Jealous? Yeah, right! I have no interest in girls!_ he insisted.

_What is that supposed to mean? _Mystia said offended._  
><em>

_Exactly what I said! _Oni blatantly answered._  
><em>

"You didn't look like 'acquaintances' to me," Scrubs huffed.

"Scrubs, my friend," Femur said to the Deku. "Are you jealous?"

The little plant quickly objected, "Me? Jealous? Never! Why would you ask such a silly question?"

_I could ask the same for you,_ Oni said to Mystia.

"Okay!" Mystia interrupted, embarrassed at the situation. "Maybe we should get going. We do have stones to find, right?"

"Right!" Femur and Scrubs replied.

Fetch barked in agreement.

Mystia turned around to head for the mountain trail and saw the salesman looking at her.

"Good luck on your quest, child," he said with the same goofy grin. "Have faith...as always."

Mystia scowled at the strange man and walked away from him.

* * *

><p>"Din! The road is blocked!" Mystia cursed.<p>

The gateway to Death Mountain stood before the travelers. The only trouble was that it was impassable. Huge boulders sat in front of the gate, which made it impossible to walk through.

"How are we going to get through?" Scrubs asked.

"I can help with that," Femur said, stepping forward with his large hammer. "Stand back!"

He raised the giant hammer and swung it at the rocks. When it made contact, Femur's arms vibrated so hard that they fell off.

"Oh, dear," Femur said in surprise. "I didn't expect that to happen."

_Greeaaaattt!_ Oni said in annoyance.

While Scrubs kept the bones away from Fetch and helped Femur attach them again, Mystia examined the boulders. There was a dent where Femur had slammed his hammer, but nothing more.

"There's got to be a way through," Mystia said aloud.

"Well," Femur said as he put his other arm back in place, "if we could blast the rocks, that might do the trick. We would need bombs, but I'm not carrying any."

"Mystia!" Scrubs exclaimed. "Didn't someone give you a bag of bombs?"

It clicked with Mystia. Yes, she did have bombs! Darmani gave them to her before she left Termina! She reached into her pouch and pulled out a bomb.

"How's this, Femur?" she asked as she held it out to him.

"Perfect!" he replied, taking the bomb and walking over to the rocks.

_I don't think giving a bomb to a Stalfos is a good idea__,_ Oni advised.

Mystia was just thinking the same thing, but Femur had already lit the bomb with a burning stick.

"Everyone take cover!" Femur said as he began to run to safety.

Mystia, Scrubs, and Fetch quickly followed behind. They all hid behind a house and carefully watched as the bomb sizzled away.

BOOM!

KABOOM!

The rocks became like dust, clearing the path to the mountain.

"Excellent work!" Femur said, proudly.

"To Death Mountain!" Scrubs declared as all the travelers headed up the mountain trail.

* * *

><p>Roecliff: And that's the end of the chapter.<p>

Scrubs: I'm a hero!

Oni: No, you're not! You just got lucky!

Scrubs: Mystia said that I was the real hero! Unlike some jerkface!

Oni: Oh, I'm going to light a fire on you, you twig!

Scrubs: AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH! *runs away*

Oni: Hehehehe...

Roecliff: Uh, so...uh...what happened here was that Mystia discovered a way to destroy the white shadows without killing the people...which is good...and they ran into the happy mask salesman again *shiver* Creeper! The villagers are safe because of Captain Scevik and now the travelers are on their way to Death Mountain. What will happen next?

Oni: Find out next chapter, blah blah blah! Yeah! We get it!

Izzy: *slowly dragging her feet* What's going on here?

Roecliff: Izzy! What are you doing out of bed!?

Izzy: I heard Scrubs screaming, so I came in to...ugh!

Roecliff: Go back to your room this instant, young lady!

Izzy: You're not my mom. Hey readers, sorry about the mess here, but I hope you've enjoyed the story. And...ugh...don't forget to review...excuse me! *runs out, gagging*

Roefliff: *sigh*


	24. Trust vs Mistrust

Izzy: Hello! I'm back!

Roecliff: Finally, you're normal!

Izzy: It was true that I was sick, but my 24 hour bug went away and I'm good as new! Now I go on with the story as always!

Femur: Please do!

Izzy: So what you have found out so far is that the village of Kakariko is saved because of Mystia-

Scrubs: And me!

Izzy: Yes, you too, Scrubs. And they are now on their way to Death Mountain! What will happen when they get there? Let's find out!

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda (however, I do wish that I own the Zelda Hyrule Historia book! AWESOME!)

* * *

><p>Up Death Mountain the travelers went. The steep, rocky terrain slowed them down, but they pressed on. They passed a cave and a big cliff, going up and up the trail.<p>

"I'm getting tired!" Scrubs whined, huffing and puffing.

Fetch knelt down and barked at Scrubs.

"Oh, thank you, Fetch," Scrubs said, climbing onto the wolfos.

_Good!_ Oni stated. _I was about to get annoyed with his whining._

_He only whined once, Oni,_ Mystia mentioned.

_One whine is enough to drive someone crazy, _the boy stated._  
><em>

"We should be almost there," Femur announced. "Up this hill, we'll find the entrance to Goron City."

"Is that it?" Mystia asked, pointing ahead of them.

There was a huge block with rocks set in a circle. A doorway with two stone columns on either side of it was just beyond it. A few stone steps led to the entrance and a banner with fire symbols strung across the top.

"Yep! That's it!" Femur replied.

"Finally!" Scrubs wheezed in exhaustion before he collapsed upon Fetch.

Fetch looked back, curiously.

The travelers walked inside. The city appeared circular in dimension. A slab piece of rock lying face down was suspended by ropes in front of them.

Mystia approached the edge and looked down. Three floors were far down below them.

"This place is huge!" Scrubs said.

"But where are all the Gorons?" Femur asked.

Suddenly, they heard a rumble from behind them. The deity turned around, but not in time to see something crash right into her, knocking her off the edge.

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!" she screamed.

She had the wind knocked out of her as she slammed into the bottom floor. She gasped for air and grunted in pain from the impact.

_That was...unpleasant!_ Oni grunted as well.

_I'm surprised that I didn't break anything,_ Mystia panted.

_Deity...remember? _Oni reminded with a wince in his voice_  
><em>

She heard the sound of clinking next to her. She carefully turned her head, wincing at the pain. Femur lay beside her in a heaping pile of his own bones.

"This is so embarrassing!" Femur shouted.

Scrubs's squeal and Fetch's whine were heard next, but they didn't sound close.

Mystia looked up to see something holding Scrubs in its grasp and another thing clasping Fetch's neck. Two more things which were rolling like boulders appeared on the edge above them before they fell and landed on the ground before them.

Mystia realized that they were Gorons, but their dress was different. They bore the tattoos of fireballs on either of their shoulders, but they had tribal markings painted white on their chests, heads, bellies, and legs. They wore cloths tied around their waists in the front and back sides. They appeared like hard-core warriors.

"Why are you here?" one of them demanded.

"I...mmph!...I came here...to see Darunia," Mystia replied in between gasps.

"I don't believe her," the other Goron stated. "We shouldn't trust her."

"What...are you...talking about?" Mystia asked.

"You brought that stalfos in here!" informed the first Goron.

"Wha...but he's a... a friend of mine!" Mystia explained. "He wouldn't—"

"Quiet, giant!" the second Goron commanded. "Someone who is friends with the enemy is an enemy to us. Chain this one up and bag the stalfos! Search them!"

_Gorons!_ Oni grumbled.

"Wait a minute!" Mystia protested. "We're not...the enemy here!"

She heard the sound of chains clinking together and saw a Goron carrying chained cuffs. She grunted in pain as the Goron forcefully grabbed her arms and cuffed them together. The Goron pulled her to her feet. The pain in her back was so intense that it seemed to reach up and pound her head. The Goron checked her all around until he took the pouch from her side.

"Ah! Watch it! I'm fragile!" she heard Femur exclaim.

She saw the other Goron placing Femur, bone by bone, into a netted sack so he was still visible.

"Put me down!" Scrubs demanded.

She looked behind her and spotted two Gorons coming down. One was holding the little Deku against his chest and the other had Fetch. The poor wolfos had his snout tied up in chains along with his neck and paws. He shook his head and tried to lift the paw up to his face, but the chains connected both his front paws and kept them from going up even a couple inches off the ground.

"Put me down!" Scrubs shouted. "I'm innocent! Put me down!"

The Goron that cuffed Mystia before now held her by the arms.

"Ow!" Mystia cried out, before she haltingly added, "Will you…stop that? My back…hurts enough… from you guys…shoving me off—"

"What is going on here?" declared a voice.

Mystia looked up. The most muscular Goron she had ever seen stood before them. His hair was a bright gray and held up by an invisible force. He had the same tribal marks as the other Gorons and had a scar over his left eye.

_That can't be Darmani!_ Oni asked.

_No, but he does resemble him,_ Mystia pointed out. _Maybe he's Darunia._

"Who are these people?" the large Goron said in a deep voice. He crossed his arms sternly.

"Trespassers, sir," replied the first Goron. He held up Femur, who was inside the net bag, to the Goron.

"And they brought this abomination," said the second Goron.

"Abomination, indeed!" Femur declared. "I am not an inferior of the dead race!"

"Silence, you bag of bones!" the Goron holding him commanded.

"Bag of bones!?" Femur objected. "As ironic as that sounds, I dare say, sir! You certainly have no—"

Though she was still trying to catch her breath, Mystia harshly said, "Femur! You're not...making it any easier...for the rest of us."

"Pardon, miss?" Femur asked, confused.

"Shut it!" she insisted.

_Wow!_ Oni smirked with a hint of surprise_. I'm quite impressed._

_I'm only trying to get Femur to not make things worse than they are, _she replied.

_Doesn't change my compliments, _Oni told her._  
><em>

"Mystia," Scrubs squeaked. "He's crushing me!"

"Come on, guys!" Mystia said. "We came here...peacefully! Just because...we have one stalfos...who happens to be innocent—"

"Thank you, miss!" Femur interjected. He was definitely touched by the compliment.

Mystia ignored him and continued, "It doesn't make us...the enemy! You have to trust us!"

"Trust?" the first Goron restated. "Who can we trust anymore since the Dark King returned?"

"You think...we serve the Dark King?" the deity girl said, exasperated. "He's the last person...we would want to help!"

"Wait!" the lead Goron spoke.

Everyone froze and looked at the Goron leader. He had his back turned and his arms were out as if he was looking at something. He lowered his arms in front of him.

"She should be taken to the elder," he said calmly without looking back.

"But sir—" one of the Gorons began to protest, but stopped when the big Goron raised his hand to silence him.

"The elder will deal with the giant." He began to walk away.

_I don't like the sound of this,_ Oni said.

* * *

><p>The group of Gorons and travelers entered a lit room. A table was against a wall on the left side. Lit torches were on either side of a stone statue which looked like a Goron.<p>

Sitting on a rug in front of the statue was a Goron twice the size as the Goron leader. Like said Goron, this one had hair, but it was white, falling around his face and past his shoulders. Small age wrinkles lined his face and body. He was the only Goron that appeared to have no markings like a warrior except for the two white streaks on either side of his face. He had an old, red blanket laying on his shoulders, but it didn't cover the fact that he was slightly hunched over. His eyes were closed and furrowed as if in deep thought.

The Goron leader walked up to the old Goron and knelt by his side.

"Elder Darunia," the Goron said in the old one's ear. "There is something you must see."

The older Goron raised his head slowly and opened his dim eyes.

Looking at the group, Elder Darunia asked in a gruff, deep and raspy voice, "Who are they?"

"Outsiders," the young Goron replied. "A giant, a wolfos, a stalfos, and a plant."

"Tree Sap!" Scrubs shouted in offense. "I'm a Deku, not a plant!"

_That's funny!_ Oni laughed.

"A stalfos?" Darunia sternly asked. "What is a stalfos doing here?"

"He's my guide through Hyrule," Mystia told the old Goron.

"The enemy as a guide?" Darunia pointed out. "The last thing creatures like him do is help. They live to kill."

"If it helps any," Femur interjected," I don't like killing. I'm a pacifist."

"Then why are you carrying around a giant hammer?" asked the Goron holding him in the sack.

"It's just a tool!" Femur declared exasperated. "I use it to smash trees and rocks!"

"What about people?" asked the same Goron.

"Smash people?!" Femur exclaimed, looking a bit green. "Never!"

"He _is_ a pacifist!" Mystia confirmed.

_Only when he hasn't been hit by a blade__,_ Oni mentioned.

__They don't need to know that part!___ Mystia_ grumbled.

"And I'm a Deku!" Scrubs exclaimed.

Fetch whined in the muzzle he was wearing.

"Stalfos are not to be trusted!" one of the Gorons declared.

"None of them are trustworthy!" another Goron shouted.

"We didn't do anything wrong!" Mystia shouted angrily.

"They might be spies for the Dark King," a third Goron mentioned.

"We're not spies!" Mystia again yelled.

"WHOSE IS THIS!?" shouted the oldest Goron.

Everyone froze and looked toward where Elder Darunia was sitting. He held something in his hands that made Mystia gasp.

It was her green baby blanket!

"WHO OWNS THIS CLOTH!?" he demanded loudly.

Mystia nervously gulped. She wasn't sure if she wanted to answer or not. Even in his state, the old Goron appeared to be strong enough to tear her apart.

"Uh...it's...it's mine, sir," Mystia stammered.

The elder's eyes narrowed in focus. "Where are you from, giant?"

"Me...Meladon," she replied.

"Then how...did you acquire...this?" He held up the blanket for her to see, with the burnt marks and a golden Triforce in the bottom left corner.

"I...I always had it..." Mystia replied honestly, "since I was a baby. My father found it on me—"

"No one just 'has this', giant," Darunia intoned. "This is the symbol of the Royal Family. I only know of one other person that had carried the Royal Family symbol. Where did you get this?"

"I told you! I just had it!" Mystia repeated. "I swear to the goddesses of Hyrule that I'm telling you the truth. I don't know where it came from."

"I believe her," stated a voice.

Everyone looked at the large Goron who stood by Darunia.

"Why do you say this, my son?" Darunia asked as he looked up at the Goron.

"There's truth in her eyes," he replied with a smile. "I can see it."

_That's deep!_ Oni commented awkwardly.

The elder lowered his head briefly in thought. He nodded and then looked at Mystia carefully.

"My son has always had a good judge of character," he finally spoke. "If he believes you, then I have no reason to toss aside his judgment. Release them!"

The other Gorons weren't certain, but they removed the chains from Mystia and Fetch. Scrubs was set back on the ground and Femur was handed to Mystia. She pulled him out of the bag piece-by-piece, putting the bones back together as she went. She was starting to get used to it.

"I hate looking like this," Femur groaned.

"Don't worry, Femur," Mystia said to him. "We'll get you back together."

Scrubs and Fetch joined in. Femur helped once his arms were finally attached to his torso. Soon, Femur looked like himself again. He stood up, popped his back in place with a sigh, and adjusted his left arm.

"Now," Darunia continued, "why did you come here?"

"We are here to seek the Spiritual Stone of Fire," Mystia replied.

Elder Darunia's large beaded eyes flared with surprise and anger. He stood up from his spot with a groan. He was extremely tall! Even with the hunched back, he stood taller than Mystia in her giant height!

_Whoa!_ Oni said in surprise. _He's huge!_

"The Stone of Fire?" Darunia repeated with an angry tone.

"Uh...yes?" Mystia said, feeling more nervous than before.

"What is your business with the Goron's Ruby?" the Goron asked while gritting his teeth.

"I thought we were talking about the Stone of Fire," Scrubs said in confusion.

"That is the Stone of Fire," Femur informed him. "The Goron's Ruby is what the Gorons call it."

"Oh!" Scrubs said in realization.

"We need it to open the Doors of Time to get the Master Sword," Mystia replied to Darunia.

"What is your purpose with the Master Sword?" the elder asked, gazing at her curiously. "No one can pull it out save the Hero of Time."

"Queen Zelda sent me to get it," she informed him.

She heard the gasps of surprise from the other Gorons around her.

"Queen Zelda sent you?" the old Goron asked surprised.

"Yes, sir," Mystia responded.

"Well, let me put it to you this way, giant," Darunia growled. "I don't just simply give away the Stone of Fire to someone I don't know. Even if they say they came from the Queen herself, you must prove yourself trustworthy first."

"And how do you expect me to gain your trust?" Mystia said, getting frustrated. "What could we possibly —"

Suddenly, a loud rumble was heard. The earth vibrated to the sound.

"Earthquake!" Scrubs shouted, ducking behind Mystia.

"There's that rumble again!" said Darunia's son as the quake subsided.

"Again?" Mystia asked.

"That ruckus has been going on for three months now," the son informed her. "We tried to locate it in the mountain, but we couldn't find what it was."

"Sounds like it could be a white shadow, miss," Femur suggested to the deity.

"Did you say, 'white shadow'?" Darunia asked as he raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Yes," Mystia replied. "They're invisible demons that like to possess things and people. Besides me, only animals can see them. When you do see them, they appear white with red eyes."

"They turn everything black and white," Femur continued. "And when they possess people, they act mad."

"And they can turn things back to their natural state, like turning you into a rock," Scrubs finished.

"Sir," one of the Gorons spoke up. "That sounds like what happened in Kakariko."

"Kakariko is safe now," Mystia informed him.

"Miss Deity and the Deku defeated the creatures and saved the village," Femur proudly pointed out.

"I think the reason why you can't see what the noise is," Mystia continued, "is because it could be a white shadow. If I take a look around, I might find the cause of the disturbance and stop it."

The old Goron looked at his son. "What do you suggest?"

"I suggest we try it," the son replied. "If she is right, then we can't do anything about it. It might be up to her."

Darunia looked at Mystia sternly.

"Very well," he permitted, "but you better be right, giant." He looked at the young Goron. "You will lead them inside the mountain. They are your responsibility now."

"Yes, elder," he replied as he thumped a fist on his white-painted chest.

Darunia moved aside as his son approached the statue. With very little effort, the young Goron pulled it back, and revealed a hidden doorway.

"This way," the son said to Mystia and walked through.

The travelers followed right behind him.

* * *

><p>Izzy: End chapter.<p>

Oni: I still hate Gorons...

Scrubs: How dare they mistreat us! We're warriors! We deserve better!

Oni: *snicker* You, a warrior? You're a chicken and a shrimp combo with a side of french fries!

Scrubs: *fuming*

Izzy: So, it looks like there's some trust issues with our fellow Gorons (all except the leading Goron...hmm...I wonder who he is?)

Roecliff: I know! I know!

Femur: You do-

Roecliff: No...

Izzy: So, will Mystia gain the trust of the Gorons? What is causing the ruckus in Death Mountain Crater? Find out next chapter!

Roecliff: R&R as well!


	25. Rumble, Rock and Roll

Izzy: Next chapter! Hurray! So excited!

Scrubs: So intense!

Roecliff: So exhilarating!

Oni: So old! Can we go on now?

Izzy: Okay people! There's a LOT of trust issues from the Gorons from the last chapter. Now, there's a rumbling noise within the mountain. Whatever could it be?

Scrubs: Start the story! I'm getting impatient!

Izzy: Calm down, little warrior. We're going to begin-

Oni: After the disclaimer...

Roecliff: Which will say, *changing to girly voice* "I don't own Zelda whatsoever! Oh, how sad is that? If only in my dreams! Booooo hoooo!"

*Oni and Scrubs snicker*

Izzy: T-T Really?

* * *

><p>When Mystia, her friends and the Goron leader entered the mountain, the first things she noticed was how hot it was. She felt as if she was on fire from the intense heat. Before and below her, a lake of lava flowed. To the right was a rope bridge leading to a ledge above them. To the left was a bridge made of iron grates, which connected to the huge floor below.<p>

She looked at the Goron next to her.

"This place is huge," she told him.

"And hot!" Scrubs said wearily.

"This is Death Mountain Crater," the Goron said proudly. " It's a sacred ground for us Gorons."

_And a death trap for many,_ Oni stated.

"What are you called, giant?" the Goron asked Mystia.

"Oni Mystia," she replied, "but Mystia is just fine. What is yours?"

"Link, hero of the Goron tribe."

Mystia curiously glanced at the Goron. "Link?"

"I was named after the Hero of Time himself," the goron said proudly.

"Cool!" Scrubs said with a hop.

"It must be quite an honor to carry that name," Femur guessed.

"It is," Goron Link replied. "I always looked to him as a role model."

His eyes suddenly turned sad.

"You don't seem too happy about it," Mystia pointed out.

"It's just my father," the Goron replied with a sigh. "He and the Hero of Time were good friends a long time ago. They were Sworn Brothers. Then when Link disappeared and the Dark King took over Hyrule, he had become isolated. His temper has grown since and now he doesn't trust anyone anymore, except his people."

Goron Link sighed sadly. "He won't even talk to anyone except for diplomatic issues."

"Sounds like your father has been in mourning for years," Femur concluded.

"And he shows it," Goron Link pointed out. "He has never acted this way before. His bitterness and sadness is causing him to be weakened physically and emotionally. I worry for him."

Mystia placed her hand on the Goron's shoulder.

"Don't worry," Mystia assured. "Maybe we can find a way to cheer him up."

"I hope so," Goron Link said.

Then, a rumble was heard. The ground shook harder.

"Feel that?" Goron Link stated. "That's the noise."

"It sounds like it's coming from over there," Femur said, pointing to the floor below.

"Let's check it out," Mystia said before turning to Goron Link and adding, "You stay here while we take a look. If a white shadow is down there, it might be too dangerous for you."

The young Goron nodded his head. "I'll wait here for you."

Mystia, Scrubs, Femur and Fetch crossed the iron bridge to the bottom floor. Mystia noticed a distant rock bridge leading to a grand stone doorway. On the ground to her right was a similar white platform she saw in the Sacred Meadow, only this one had a fire symbol.

On it, she noticed a black-and-white figure. She knew right away who it was.

"Takaro?" Mystia asked.

"Oh, good!" said a different voice. "More company!"

From behind Takaro's figure stood a familar face of a man with a scar on his lip.

"Ashasti!" Mystia hissed at the familiar person nearby Takaro.

"Mystia!" he replied with a crooked grin. "So nice of you to join us!"

Takaro looked back, his gold eye glaring at her.

"Mystia!" he said harshly. "Get out of here!"

"Oh, come now, boy," Ashasti spoke slickly to Takaro. "She should get to have some fun, too! Can't hog all the attention."

He passed Takaro and approached Mystia. "Did you enjoy my welcoming present?"

"Barely," Mystia snarled.

"Glad to hear!" He looked down at her side and tisked. "Aw! Had a bit of trouble with the Dark Nut?"

"Actually," Femur interjected, "that came from Gometh."

Ashasti's eyes gleamed in amusement.

"Gometh, hmm?" Ashasti spoke, his crooked grin growing into a smile. "Had a nice visit to the graveyard, I see. Well, how did you enjoy your visit?"

"Took my breath away," Mystia commented sarcastically.

"Well, you certainly look lively, deity," he sneered. "How ever did you escape from Gometh?"

"Thanks to some assistance," the part-deity said with a smirk, "he was sent away from the graveyard. Then, I got rid of your demons and saved the village."

Ashasti's eyes widened in anger.

"VILE LITTLE RAT!" he yelled. "I knew from the moment I saw you that you were more trouble than you're worth!" He shoved a finger in her face. "Just you wait! One of these days, you'll really suffer!"

_Why not just kill him and get it over with?_ Oni suggested logically.

Ashasti leaped into the air and landed behind Takaro, who was still standing on the white platform.

"One of these days, boy!" Ashasti hissed to him. "You're time will come. Just...you...wait!"

Ashasti floated in the air and out of the mountain.

_White shadows carried him away__, _Oni informed Mystia.

_No surprise__,_ Mystia stated.

"Din, Mystia!" Takaro swore.

Mystia looked down toward Takaro, who was glaring more intensively at her. He quickened his pace towards her.

"What is wrong with you?!" he asked harshly. "I would have had him if you hadn't shown up! Why don't you ever listen?!"

"How was I supposed to know YOU were going to be here?" Mystia replied angrily. "Which brings to question of what you were doing with Ashasti? And don't tell me that you can't explain it!"

"It doesn't matter now! He's gone!" Takaro pointed out.

"I think it does matter! Otherwise, you wouldn't be yelling at me!" she countered.

"You let him escape! Of course, I'm going to yell at you!" he hotly replied.

_I think we are on to him!_ Oni pointed out.

"Are you working with Ashasti?" she asked accusingly.

"No! I—" Takaro started to say

"I what?" she pressed.

"I...I can't—" the boy tried to speak again.

She then fumed, "By Din's Fire! Tell me what's going on!"

"What is all the arguing about!?" Another voice called.

Mystia looked over at the voice and saw Goron Link standing nearby on the floor.

"Well?" he insisted.

"Just trying to straighten out something," Mystia replied as she looked rudely back at Takaro.

Takaro leaned into Mystia's ear. "Not...here," he whispered harshly.

Then, he backed away and took off.

"HOLD IT!" Mystia shouted, but he disappeared again. "In the name of Farore! TAKARO!"

Suddenly, another loud boom was heard, making the ground shake violently.

"This is starting to remind me of the giant mole," Scrubs mentioned.

"It's coming from underground," Mystia confirmed.

"That can't be," Goron Link denied. "It just couldn't be Volvagia."

"Volvagia?" Scrubs inquired.

"He's the fire dragon that lives in this mountain," Femur informed him.

"More like 'lived'," Goron Link corrected. "When he tried to cause terror to our city several years ago, I went with my father to find the serpent. I saw him kill it."

"What's under us?" Mystia asked.

"The heart of the mountain: The Fire Temple."

"Can you take us there?" Mystia asked.

Goron Link waved his hand motioning them to follow. "This way."

The Goron lead everyone across the stone bridge and through the stone doorway. Inside was a room with a hole in the ground. They could see the top of a ladder jutting from out of the dark pit.

"It's down there," Goron Link told them.

"I...can't...TAKE IT ANYMORE!" Scrubs complained in agony. "It's too hot in here! I feel like I'm going to catch on fire!"

Fetch whined in agreement. The poor wolfos was panting with exhaustion and thirst.

_Really?_ Oni stated incredulously. _What wimps!_

"Okay," Mystia spoke. "Scrubs, Fetch. You stay in the city until we return. Goron Link, Femur and I will check out the temple."

"Fine by me!" Scrubs agreed and hopped on Fetch. "Let's get out of here, Fetch!"

The wolfos turned around, taking off in a leap toward Goron City.

"Let's go," Mystia said to the Goron and the Stalfos. She climbed over the ledge of the hole and started down the ladder.

After a very long climb down, Mystia, Goron Link, and Femur made it to the bottom and walked down the hallway leading into the Fire Temple. A set of stairs was before them, which was flanked on both sides by blocky totem-pole-like statues. They could see two with doors on either side of them.

The rumble from before started again, and was getting louder and rougher. The trio ran up the stairs, only to be nearly knocked down by the shaking of the ground.

"It feels like an earthquake in here," Femur commented.

"It feels more like a volcano eruption," Goron Link stated.

"I think it's coming from that side," Mystia said, pointing to the door on their left.

The group went through the door. Before them was a giant door and in between was a stone pillar in the middle of a pool of lava.

The ground shook again with the sound of thumping louder than before.

Mystia leaped onto one pillar and then another to get on the other side. She leaned against the door and listened. She heard shuffling and pounding.

"It's in here!" she called to the others.

"But that's where the Goron's Ruby is!" Goron Link shouted in worry.

_Not good!_ Oni stated nervously.

"Then we mustn't waste time!" Mystia shouted back. "We need to get inside!"

Goron Link and Femur leaped toward the door and all three went through.

Inside, it appeared normal with no lava. Everything was rock. Nothing was there.

"Okay?" Mystia said, confused. "I heard it in here. Where is it?"

As she stepped forward, a wall of fire flowed up behind her and separated her from the entrance...and Femur and Goron Link.

"Skull and crossbones!" Femur exclaimed.

"Oni Mystia!" Goron Link called out. "This could be a trap!"

_Now you tell us!_ Oni said, annoyed.

The rumble happened again, this time coming from above her.

"What in Farore-" she started to say.

Then, a large, white ball crashed to the ground. An enormous one. It shook the ground harshly as it made contact to the floor, knocking Mystia off her feet. She quickly got up and pulled out her weapon.

The ball unrolled and Mystia could see that it had hidden a giant albino armadillo.

_A possessed armadillo?_ Mystia thought.

_Lovely!_ Oni remarked in frustration.

"Careful, miss!" Femur shouted to her. "He looks really deadly!"

_You think?_ Oni stated sarcastically.

"The Goron's Ruby!" Goron Link yelled.

Mystia looked at the armadillo. She noticed a red, fireball-shaped ruby stuck in the creature's forehead.

"You have to get that from him!" the Goron told her.

With a squeal the albino monster reared up, pulled itself into a ball again, and rolled full speed at Mystia. She dodged it and the creature slammed into the wall of fire.

"How am I supposed to kill it with all that protection?" Mystia said in frustration.

The creature, still in its rolled up form, hopped up, then down, causing the ground to shake. All against the wall, the floor collapsed, revealing a canal of lava all around them.

_How's that for your answer?_ Oni asked.

_Not getting what you mean by that__,_ Mystia told him.

_Knock it into the lava! It might do some damage, _Oni instructed._  
><em>

Exasperated, she asked,_ How?_

_Pull out your shield, _he insisted.

_What?! _she exclaimed_.  
><em>

_Just do it!_ Oni demanded._  
><em>

After dodging another attack from the possessed monster, she pulled out the shield. It looked bigger than she remembered…and whiter. Now instead of being adorned with the symbolic Hylian bird and Triforce, it bore a triangle on its left half and a half moon on its right. She was surprised by its appearance, but she still had no clue what she was supposed to do with it.

_Now hold it up!_ Oni commanded.

Mystia obeyed and quickly ground her feet into the earth before holding up the shield in defense.

The tightly-packed creature charged once more; but this time its attack was stopped short from slamming into the unyielding shield. Mystia's arms and the shield trembled under the force.

Then, as if the shield had suddenly come alive, it started to shake even more violently. Mystia grunted but still tightened her hold on the shield. A moment later, a blast of energy bellowed out from her transformed armor and smacked into the creature with such intensity that it ricocheted off the blow and plunged right into the canal of lava. She heard a shriek of pain from the armadillo as it scrambled to get out of the canal.

_Now it's exposed!_ Oni quickly stated. _Use your sword!_

Mystia didn't delay. She deftly swung her sword. Energy beams flew towards the monster, which knocked it back into the lava. Another shriek was heard. Then the albino beast flew out of the lava and crashed back down in the middle of the room. It was gasping in pain.

_I have an idea__,_ Mystia declared in thought.

"Femur!" she shouted back at her boney friend. "Got anymore Deku nuts?"

"Sure thing, Miss Deity!" Femur answered.

She then saw three Deku nuts flying through the air. Mystia ran to catch each nut in her hands. She then turned to the beast and saw that it was on its feet again. It quickly curled back into a ball and rolled at her.

Mystia got the shield out and its energy drove the creature back into the lava. The creature struggled to get out, but the energy beams from Mystia's sword shoved the armadillo back in. It flew out of the canal and landed in front of Mystia. It was breathing heavily.

That was her cue! She threw the Deku nut at the armadillo, which exploded in the creature's face.

The armadillo shrieked and shook its head wildly.

Oni switched Mystia's vision and before her was a white shadow in a daze. A quick swing of her sword was all she needed to shatter the monster into pieces.

The armadillo shrunk to normal size. The Stone of Fire fell off of its head and landed on the ground.

The creature looked around. Frightened by Mystia's appearance, it took off, but it fell in the lava with a shriek.

_That's depressing..._ Mystia thought.

"Excellent work, Oni Mystia!" declared Goron Link.

Mystia turned toward Goron Link who was standing behind her with Femur. She put away her sword and shield and nodded.

Bowing in respect, Mystia said, "Thank you, sir."

She glanced at Femur. "And thank you for your help."

"Not at all, miss!" Femur commented with a salute. "Glad to be of service!"

The Goron leader passed her and picked up the fireball ruby. He examined it, and then smiled at Mystia.

"The Goron's Ruby is safe once again, thanks to you," Goron Link told her. "Come. We must let my father know what happened."

* * *

><p>Izzy: YAY! One stone down!<p>

Scrubs: That was intensifying!

Oni: That albino was nothing! It never stood a chance.

Izzy: So the deity, the Stalfos and the Goron managed to get the Stone of Fire from the possessed armadillo...

Oni: No! Mystia and I did!

Femur: Technically, it was Goron Link who picked up the stone-

Roecliff: It doesn't matter! They got the stone!

Izzy: But don't forget that Darunia still won't give it to her until she proves he can trust her.

Scrubs: That stinks!

Oni: No...you stink!

Scrubs: Grrrr...

Izzy: So will Mystia gain Darunia's trust because she rescued the stone? What is going on between Takaro and Ashasti?

Oni: That's what I want to know!

Izzy: Find out next chapter!

Roecliff: Also R&R for the authoress's sake!


	26. The Bond of Friendship

Izzy: Hey Readers! Sorry this took so long...

Roecliff: Yeah...wedding plans...

Izzy: I only have two weeks now!

Oni: Poor excuse to not post.

Izzy: Anyway people! So Mystia has finally defeated the creepy albino and got the Stone of Fire! Huzzah! Now for the many questions that still remain. Some might get answered...some might not...mwahahahahaaaaa!

Scrubs: O.O She's scaring me...

Disclaimer: Give me liberty of having rights to Zelda or give me death!

* * *

><p>Mystia, Goron Link, and Femur made it back to the crater with smiles on their faces. They were all excited about having saved the Stone of Fire.<p>

Mystia hoped that Elder Darunia would be more lenient in giving her the stone, but deep down she was unsure. Unlike his son, Darunia hadn't trusted her at first sight. How did she to expect to finally gain the old Goron's trust?

"WHO ARE YOU!?"

The trio had just crossed the bridge when they heard the voice of Darunia echo throughout the crater. It sounded like it was coming from Goron City.

_Uh-oh!_ Oni said in retained surprise.

"Darunia must be in trouble," Mystia said with determination. "Hurry!"

The group rushed through the passage and entered Darunia's chambers.

No one was there.

"STAND BACK, CREATURE OF DARKNESS!" Darunia shouted again.

They ran to the heart of the city. Gorons on the upper levels were rolled up and shaking. On the other side of the bottom floor, Mystia noticed the elder standing in the center of the room in a fighting stance.

In between them and Darunia was a black shadow, which had its back to them. They could tell by how tightly the black clothes clung to the figure that it was a female. The hair was also as black as midnight, but it danced as if it were on fire. She carried a black rapier, which was pointed at Darunia.

Mystia pulled out her weapon and stepped forward. The figure raised her sword, but Mystia was faster. She swung her weapon and sent the beams toward the female's sword-held hand. The energy smacked the hilt of the weapon and the figure dropped her rapier with a scream, grasping her hand.

"Back away!" Mystia demanded with a shout.

The figure straightened and chuckled.

"Well, well, well," she said. "Who do we have here in our presence?"

The figure finally turned around and when she did, her flame-like hair whipped away from her shadowy face. White, pointed teeth protruded from her wicked smile and her ruby red eyes glared at the intruders. Her eyes, however, were partly shadowed by the ruby gemstone that was implanted in the middle of her forehead and glistened with an unusual power.

"Ah," the figure said, sinisterly. "You must be the warrior deity I heard about. At last, we meet."

"Who are you?" Mystia asked sternly.

"I am the one called Nightus," the female replied arrogantly. "Lady of Darkness, ruler of the night, servant of the Dark King."

_No surprise there, _Oni commented.

"I am Oni Mystia," the deity girl replied. "Warrior and servant to the Queen of Hyrule!"

"Servant to the Queen, are you?" Nightus said with a devious smile. "How unfortunate!"

"Why are you here?" Mystia demanded with a growl.

"I've come to collect something, if you really want to know," the shadow woman responded, "but this

FAT GORON won't give it to me!"

"You think _I_ would give it to _you_?!" the elder rasped harshly. "Not on my life!"

"What are you looking for?" Mystia asked sternly.

"I'm looking for the Stones of Hyrule," the figure replied. "The king needs them desperately."

_The stones?_ Mystia thought. _She must mean the Spiritual Stones!_

_Oh, great!_ Oni growled. _She's looking for them, too?!_

"The Dark king has no need for the stones!" Goron Link stated angrily. "He has the entire world! What more could he want?!"

"He only needs them for...security reasons," Nightus told them.

"Security!?" Femur exclaimed in frustration. "What? Is he afraid that someone might come along and stop him?"

"Why should that matter to you, Stalfos?" Nightus asked, her smile fading.

"Because that's exactly what we're doing," Femur declared. "We're already ahead of you because we got the Stone of Fire!"

"FEMUR!" Mystia shouted.

"Oops..." Femur cringed nervously.

Nightus smirked.

"Oh really?" she said, looking at Femur. "So nice to know!"

_Goht!_ Oni swore. _That bone-headed blabbermouth! _

"As for 'being ahead'..." the woman chuckled, "...I don't think so. I already have one as well. I just need to find the other two to fulfill my lord's wishes." Her dark eyes glanced at Mystia. "And I will do what it takes to get it." She held out her hand and the rapier appeared once again in it. "If it means killing you in the process, then so be it!"

The woman speedily charged, swinging her blade at the young female warrior. Mystia flipped

backward and swung her weapon which instantly shot beams at her foe.

"Tell me when it's over!" Femur exclaimed as he ran back into Darunia's chambers.

"Fire in the hole!" Mystia heard from above.

She glanced up quickly to see Scrubs, who had just fired a nut. Fetch was next to him, barking.

She looked back down at Nightus. The beams had missed her, but the Deku nut stopped her in her tracks. Mystia thrust her sword toward the woman, aiming for her chest, but the shadow recovered and faded to a black, smoke-like appearance. Mystia watched carefully as the cloud transported quickly around her, from one side of the room to the other. Finally, it stopped and Nightus's form returned with blade in hand. Mystia held her sword tightly, and her knuckles turned whiter than the white skin she had. Her pupil-less eyes concentrated and glared on the shadow woman.

Nightus swung her blade and it shot out purple beams that headed straight toward Mystia.

Wide-eyed, the deity quickly moved out of the way and the beams slammed against the wall.

_She has that move, too?_ Mystia thought in shock.

_Looks like we're evenly matched,_ Oni pointed out.

Mystia then grinned_. Not quite..._

_Oh! That sounds like a great idea!_

Mystia watched carefully as the woman swung more beams toward her. She whipped out her shield and deflected the beams. The dark energy slammed into Nightus. The shadow woman screamed as she was knocked off of her feet. Mystia ran to Nightus and jumped in the air, sword ready to strike. She landed...on the ground.

Nightus wasn't there!

_What in Farore? _Mystia thought.

Then, she heard a chuckle from behind her. Mystia quickly turned around to see Nightus at the doorway of Darunia's Chambers.

"You're tough, warrior," she said with a grin. "Finally, some competition. Well, I guess I'll see you again. It will happen. Just wait!"

Before Mystia could do anything, the woman disappeared in a puff of black smoke. The last thing that was heard was her devious laugh.

"Din!" Mystia cursed. "She's gone!"

_First, Ashasti,_ Oni spoke. _Then Gometh and now this? How many more are we going to run into__?__!_

_Let's hope there aren't any more to run into,__ she told the deity boy._

"Miss?"

Mystia turned around to look at Femur, who hung his head in shame.

"I...I sincerely apologize for earlier," he said sadly. "I know I'm a big blabbermouth."

_Got that right!_ Oni huffed.

_Oni, hush!_ Mystia told him.

"I'll try to be more careful," the stalfos continued. "Again, I deeply apologize."

Mystia laughed.

"Don't worry about it, Femur," Mystia said with a smile. "Someone's gonna find out at some point and try to stop us. And besides, I had to tell her that I served Queen Zelda as well, so don't feel bad."

Femur looked up at the giant with a boney, gratifying smile.

"I am much obliged," he said.

"Is it true, then?" she heard Scrubs say.

Mystia turned to the Deku who was behind her with Fetch.

"You got the Stone of Fire?" he squeaked.

Mystia nodded.

"It took defeating a giant armadillo to get it, though," Mystia mentioned. "Along with a white shadow, causing more trouble than it's worth."

"So I hear!"

Mystia gulped at the voice and turned behind her. Elder Darunia looked at her crossly, his arms folded in front of his chest.

"My son just told me what happened," he continued in his gruff, raspy voice. "You destroyed the demon-controlled armadillo and saved the Stone of Fire. You just risked your life even though you knew I didn't trust you. That had to take true courage."

Mystia was surprised. She didn't expect such a compliment from him.

"Really?" Mystia asked, smiling.

The old Goron smiled back.

"Certainly," he replied. "On top of that, you fought truly against that black shadow woman. That gives me more of a reason to trust you."

He walked up to her and took her hand in his giant palm. He pulled out the Stone of Fire and placed it in the hand he was holding.

"I give this to you, young warrior...as a token of our friendship."

Mystia looked up and smiled as the Goron removed his hands from her.

"Thank you, elder," she said, gratefully. "The Queen would be pleased."

"You know," Darunia spoke, "this is sort of like déjà vu. "

"Why is that?" she asked curiously.

"A long time ago, I had a friend who saved us from the King Lizard, Dodongo," the old Goron told her. "I gave him the Goron's Ruby as well and we became Sworn Brothers. I even named my own son after him."

"You mean the Hero of Time?" Mystia guessed, throwing a smile towards Goron Link.

He smiled back with dignity.

"Indeed," Darunia replied. "In fact, you kind of resemble him a bit." The old Goron proudly crossed his arms again. "Because of your great courage, I was wondering if you would like to be sworn into our tribe?"

"You mean..." Mystia began.

Darunia nodded.

"You will become a Sworn..." He stopped for a moment as if he was thinking his thoughts through. "...Sworn Sister?"

"What's wrong?" Mystia asked with concern.

"Well...it's just..." the Goron spoke, then pondered for a moment. "...we never had a Sworn Sister before."

_Then how.__.._ Oni started.

_Don't...even...think about it,_ Mystia stated.

"All Gorons are brought forth from the very rocks of Death Mountain Crater," Darunia informed her. "In all of my life and in history text...there has never been a female Goron born in our tribe."

"Sounds like a reversed history of the Gerudo tribe," Femur mentioned. "They are all a female race and only one man is born every hundred years."

_Random information not needed!_ Oni said, annoyed.

"You, young warrior," the elder spoke, "will be the first Sworn Sister in the history of the Goron Tribe. This is a special occasion!" He placed his hand upon her shoulder. "Welcome to the family, Oni Mystia, Sworn Sister of the Goron Tribe!"

A great cheer was heard throughout Goron City.

* * *

><p>There was a big celebration in Goron City in Mystia's honor. Every time she passed, a Goron would call her 'sister'. Only Darunia and Goron Link called her by name.<p>

_Now, this is what I was hoping for!_ Oni said, proudly. _I'm finally recognized!_

_You mean 'we'?_ Mystia said with a smile. She passed another Goron, who called her 'sister'.

_Alright. We, __Oni admitted._

_Besides, __Mystia spoke, __the attention doesn't matter. We helped these people and that's what counts._

_Maybe for you, but I don't mind the attention,__ Oni replied._

_Okay, Mr. Ego,_ Mystia teased with a grin.

Mystia spotted Scrubs, Femur and Fetch with Darunia and Goron Link. She found it surprising to see Darunia talking to Femur at all. As she got closer, she heard a little bit of the conversation.

"Miss Deity is quite a wonderful person," she heard Femur say. "She is so giving of herself and is always willing to lend a hand to those that need it. Such a generous person."

"Yeah!" she heard Scrubs pipe. "She's really brave, too! I remember when she rescued me from the Deku hornets and the bulokoblin. She's really cared about me!"

Mystia could not help but smile. It was amazing to hear her companions talk about her so positively. She admitted to herself that without them, she wouldn't have gotten far. She felt truly blessed by Nayru for giving her such good friends.

"Elder Darunia," Mystia said as she joined in the circle.

The elder looked to her and smiled.

"Just Darunia is fine," he told her.

Mystia nodded with a smile.

"I would love to stay and enjoy the rest of the celebration," she said respectfully, "but we have to find the other stones if we are going to stop the Dark King."

"Understood," the old Goron said with a nod. "It's been a pleasure having you here, Oni Mystia. I hope once this is over, you would be able to come over to visit."

"I would be honored," Mystia said with a slight bow.

"Let me advise you on something before you go," the elder spoke. "Keep your companions close. They are your greatest friends. You will see someday how many friends you will have later in life. When you fall, that's when others will be right behind to catch you. Remember that."

"I will, sir," Mystia thanked.

"May the goddesses of Hyrule protect you," Goron Link told them.

The troop began to make their way up to the exit. Mystia smiled as she passed more Gorons.

"Mystia, where are we going next?" Scrubs asked.

"To meet Queen Ruto," Mystia replied.

Femur's bones rattled slightly in a shiver.

"Are you okay, Femur?" Mystia asked.

"Oh, yes...fine!" Femur told her quickly with a grimace. "It's just...you're in for a surprise when you

meet the queen."

"Why?" Mystia inquired.

"Well..." the Stalfos began, clenching his teeth together. "Let's just say she's...overpowering...in a way."

Mystia had no idea what he meant by that, but she wasn't going to let it bother her. She would find out herself about the queen.

_You know,_ Oni stated, _even though the Deku and the Stalfos aren't the greatest of friends, I agree with Darunia. Friends are important. They have your back to the end._

_I couldn't agree more,_ Mystia replied.

_And... __Oni continued, __we've had our disputes, but—_

_You've been with me through thick and thin, __the deity grinned._

_Exactly what I was going to say, __Oni agreed, sounding uncertain.__ And...we are quite honest with each other._

_Mystia began to notice a bit of discomfort from her inside friend._

_Oni?__ Mystia asked with concern.__ What's going through __your __mind?_

_Well...__ Oni grimaced. __It's just I feel that I should be honest with you about something._

_Oh?__ She responded, intrigued._

Oni sighed.

_My real name isn't__ Oni._

Mystia stopped in her tracks in shock.

_What!?_

_My real name...is Caspen._

"Caspen?!" she exclaimed aloud.

"Miss?" Femur asked, looking back at her quizzically.

_Your real name is Caspen?!_Mystia asked Oni. _Then why do you call yourself Oni?_

_It was meant to intimidate people,_ Oni replied. _Make me fearful. No one except my brother knew my real name._

_So, I'm the first you tell? Why?_

_I felt you had the right to know. After all, how long have we been together...uh...working, that is?_

_Well..._

"HELLO!" Scrubs called.

Mystia felt a tug below her. She looked down to see the Deku pulling at her tunic.

"What's Caspen?" he asked.

"Um..." Mystia started.

_Don't. Tell. Him, __Oni said harshly.__ He's the last person on this planet that I want to know ab__out my real name!_

_So, you want me to lie to him?__ Mystia asked him._

_If it means that!_

_Come on, Oni!_

_No!_

_Ugh! Fine!_

"It's...it's just a name Oni mentioned." She continued to walk to the gate of the city. "Come on. We got to get going."

* * *

><p>Izzy: *sounding like a ditz* GASP! Noway, Nowaaaaaay!<p>

Scrubs: You're real name is Caspen?

Oni: I HATE YOU AUTHORESS!

Izzy: Yes, ladies! Time to gwak at the romantic name!

Oni: T-T Curse you...

Izzy: And it looks like trust returns to Mystia from the Goron tribe, the Stone of Fire is now in her possession, and is even now a Sworn Sister! Then to consider the mysterious character, Nightus. Who is she exactly? And what is Ganondorf's plans with them exactly? What will our heroes do next? Find out next chapter...maybe...

Roecliff: R&R please!


	27. Fun Fun Fun!

Izzy: Hello Readers! You are going to hate me so much! I decided that this next chapter would be about fun facts about this story!

Oni: Oh, COME ON!

Scrubs: I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!

Roecliff: You are a cruel authoress...

Femur: Oh! How exciting!

*everyone glares at Femur*

Izzy: This may help remind you of things in the story and other things will be a shocker to you! Let's take a look, shall we?

And yes...I do own these fun facts...HA!

* * *

><p>Fun Facts about Curse of the Deity Mask:<p>

1) Meladon=Melody+LonLon

Everyone: DUH!

Oni: That's obvious!

2) Melody's home is based on Link's home in Twilight Princess

Scrubs: But that's the future!

Izzy: I know, right?!

3) Meladon's setting is almost like Termainian's Clock Town (except larger)

Oni: What's with the comparisons?!

Roecliff: Because she doesn't like to be creative!

Izzy: That's a lie! I am creative!

Roecliff: ? Really ?

4) I've been wanting to write this story since 2008

Scrubs: Then why did it take so long?

Izzy: Because I shut down fanfiction about that time.

Femur: Is that so?

Scrubs: What made you come back?

Roecliff: Because of inspiration from another authoress.

Izzy: I found a youtube video that was done in debut of Malon and Link and I told her that I had a story about their child. She asked me if she could read the story and that's when I decided to come back and do this story. Now, it's quite popular...kind of...

Femur: So, you were here before?

Izzy: The old account I had is now called Absent Without Malice which has a lot of old stories I wrote in years past.

Oni: Then why didn't you just use that account?

Izzy: *sheepish*...I forgot my password...

Oni: OH, FOR SHAME!

5) I only knew how to begin and end the story, but didn't know the middle (I know! CRAZY!)

Oni: I KNEW IT!

6) The following characters were NOT originally in the story plot: Femur, Fetch, Gometh, Nightus, white shadows, Mabel, and Stalchildren.

Femur: What?!

Oni: That's right, stalfos...you weren't part of the story.

Femur: I feel sad...

Izzy: Don't feel sad, Femur. I brought you in based on an idea from my awesome older sis, so that makes you special!

Femur: Thank you, miss!

7) There are no such things as bulokoblins in the game series.

Everyone: HUH!?

Izzy: That's right! If you look at the spelling and type it into word search, you won't find it! HAHA! Made up creature!

8) The Milk Bar became so long that it had to be its own chapter.

Oni: How could anyone forget that!?

Roecliff: That's why it took so long to get those chapters posted in the first place.

9) Out of all the characters I have written, the Owl is the one I HATE the most! (that is why you never see him again...)

All: AAAAAAAUUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHH!

Oni and Femur: Curse that owl!

*looks at each other*

Oni: Never again!

10) Mystia's companions are all monsters that Link would normally kill.

Scrubs: I'm not a monster!

Roecliff: Actually, you are. Deku Scrubs aren't really...

Oni: They're annoying, nut-shooting plants!

Scrubs: Grrrr...

11) Femur's character was based on another author, Henry the Wise.

Oni: Based off of? You've got to be kidding me.

Femur: Oh, dear Mr. Wise! You truly are a character! I am highly honored to be based off of you.

Oni: Oh, give me a break!

12) If you hadn't noticed yet, Fetch's eyes are brown, not vibrant green or albino red.

Roecliff: I think everyone knows that by now!

Izzy: You don't know that and I don't know that, so why don't we remind them?

13) The Sky and Earth Dance was an idea from Skyward Sword (can you guess why?)

14) Gometh (also another character that doesn't exist in the game series) was based off of Gomess from Majora's Mask.

Oni: Curse Gometh...

15) The names of the stalchildren are based on other names for different thing about the body: Arthritis (Arthie), Calcium (Cal), Hairline Fracture (Harlin), Carpel Tunnel (Carpa and Tunel).

Femur: Very good family names! My brother, Carty, did well.

Oni: Those names are lame!

Roecliff: Let's not offend the stalfos.

* * *

><p>Izzy: So there you have it! I hope you enjoy this story so far. Now for a big question: what is your favorite part about the story so far? I would like to know! Next chapter will be coming soon...<p>

Oni: Yeah right!

Izzy: Til then! See ya!


	28. Icy Fire

Izzy: Hello!

Oni: Oh! So now you post the chapter!

Izzy: Get over yourself.

Scrubs: Yeah, Mr. Jerk! Leave her be!

Oni: *glaring at Scrubs* Don't make me do it again!

Scrubs: AAAAHHHHHH!

*Deku runs off*

Oni: Heh heh heh...

Roecliff: O.O Do I want to know?

Izzy: Okay, ladies and gentlemen! You are all curious as to what Nightus and Ganondorf are up to and why. Here in this chapter, you will find out!

*thunderclap*

Izzy: I didn't even laugh!

Disclaimer: Do. Not. Own. Zelda. At. All.

* * *

><p>The Dark King anxiously paced around in his throne room while fuming inside and out. He hadn't slept nor ate in days which only made him moodier. The words of Ashasti continuously spun and burned within his mind:<p>

_If you don't believe me, just wait! It's only a matter of time before she reaches Hyrule and once she does, she will ruin everything you have worked for._

_Can she really overthrow me?_ he thought. _A deity child...No! That just isn't possible! I am stronger than she is! I hold the golden power in my hand! No one can stop me!_

But Ashasti's words kept ringing in his head.

_She will ruin everything..._

_No! Not possible! I've ruled this kingdom for seventeen years! No one has been able to stop me! No one! Not even Hyrule's precious hero!_

He had stopped at where his throne stood. Shivers went down his spine and he felt cold sweat form on his forehead. He had thought of the girl he tried to burn to death, but had managed to escape. The girl...she haunted him in his dreams. He couldn't sleep, for if he did, she would be there. Everywhere he went, he could see that girl laughing at him...mocking him... tormenting him over her good luck. It made him rage. Oh, did it burn in his icy soul!

_If wasn't for that stupid, stupid, STUPID old man, that girl would be dead! I wouldn't have to worry about this. Now, this...deity child wants to interfere. I won't tolerate it! She must be stopped!_

"My lord, Ganondorf."

The king turned slowly with a sigh. Behind him, bowing before him, was a female...a female shadow.

"Nightus," he said, his eyes furrowed. "Back so soon?"

The shadow woman stood up straight, her face wearing a wicked smile.

"Yes, my lord," she replied. "You seem fair today."

"Fair?" Ganondorf grumbled, turning away from her. "More like furious."

"You appear as if you haven't slept in days, my lord. What troubles you so?"

"It's that deity that troubles me...and that girl..."

"Are you speaking of the girl you've been searching for in the last seventeen years?"

He turned back to glared at Nightus harshly.

"Yes, I am," he growled.

Nightus approached him slowly.

"She isn't our concern at the moment, my liege. The deity, however, is. She is the one causing you more trouble."

"Why? Have you seen her?"

The woman frowned. "Yes."

The evil king's eyes widened in interest.

"Where did you see her?" he demanded.

"In Goron City, with a Stalfos and another Goron."

Ganondorf lowered his head to ponder. _I thought Ashasti said that a Deku Scrub was with this being._

"The girl has quite some power, sire," the woman continued. "We were equally matched in battle."

"What of the Stone of Fire?" Ganondorf asked quickly, looking back up at her with anticipation.

The woman turned her head in shame. "She had it already. I couldn't take it from her."

Ganondorf's blood boiled. He formed an energy ball and with a roar threw it at a statue nearby with a roar. It decapitated the statue's head and it broke into a million pieces.

"CURSE THIS DEITY CHILD!" he shouted. "When I get my hands around her small neck, I'll-"

He felt pressure on his shoulders before it changed to gentle rubbing. He began to ease up, but the rage still remained inside of him like a volcano under pressure.

"Shhhhhh," Nightus hushed. "Be at ease, my lord. We shall get the stone...and have your revenge met by this child once and for all."

"And how," the Dark King said, hissing, "do you think that will happen?"

"Don't fear, sire," Nightus said, seductively. "Her time will come when she will realize the kind of trouble she's putting herself in. I already have a plan in motion. I have a trap set for our...Oni Mystia. She won't even suspect it. It will catch her off guard in such a horrid way that she will wish she hadn't messed with darkness. She will fail in her mission to collect the stones and suffer deadly consequences for betraying her true king."

Nightus went around to face him and looked at him eye-to-eye.

"I will get the stones for you...the deity will suffer...the girl will be destroyed...and you...will rule the world..." She leaned in his ear to whisper. "...forever."

Ganondorf simmered down and smiled deviously. He liked what he heard. The girl destroyed. The deity's suffering. His ruling the world for eternity. That was something he looked forward to. Something he had worked for.

_There's nothing to fear,_ he thought to himself. _I am the king, after all. What can a deity do that a god couldn't do?_

He looked down at Nightus, who had stepped back from him.

"You have a very wicked mind, Nightus," he told her.

"I learn from the best," she smirked, showing her pointed teeth.

"Let's just see what the deity can do now. Go! Fulfill your devious plot! I expect some good results."

"And good results you shall have, my lord."

Nightus backed away and disappeared in black smoke.

Ganondorf couldn't refrain from chuckling.

_So far, everything is falling back into place. Now, all I need is to find...that...girl._

* * *

><p>Izzy: Dundunduuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun!<p>

Roecliff: O.o Really?

Izzy: So now you know the eeeeevil plot of the eeeeevil man and his eeeeeeevil assistant.

Roecliff: Why are you dragging your e's?

Oni: Yeah. That's a little obnoxious!

Izzy: So now that you know, we'll get to the next chapter...coming up!

Scrubs: *huffing* So...what...did I...miss?

Oni: *-* You're worst nightmare!

Scrubs: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHH!

Izzy: ONI!

Roecliff: R&R please!


	29. Truth Revealed

Izzy: Greetings everyone! I'm back and now a married woman!

Roecliff: Horray!

Scrubs: YAY!

Femur: HUZZAH!

Oni: Whatever!

Izzy: So much has happened to our favorite characters thus far in the story. Ganondorf isn't a happy camper and Mystia and crew had just gained their first stone! On top of that, they saved the Gorons from the mysterious Nightus, lady of the night. What is she up to?

Scrubs: Let's find out!

Izzy: Let's keep reading!

Disclaimer: If I were married to Miamoto, I could try to claim rights, but I am married to a web developer instead...but that's okay! I love him very much! 3

* * *

><p>They looked toward Kakariko (the only place where the sky was clear again aside from the Kokiri Forest) to find the moon just rising over Death Mountain. Knowing that night had fallen in Hyrule, the travelers had decided to camp out for the night. As they were pitching their tent toward Zora's River, the Fracture children showed up to tell them something.<p>

"We told the whole family about Oni Mystia," Harlin told his Uncle Femur. "They know the situation and will give her the means to travel at night if necessary."

"We also found out something else," Arthie spoke. "It's about the Gerudos in Gerudo Valley. They are in the fortress, but they're prisoners."

"Who's holding them prisoner there?" Mystia inquired as she tied the last knot around the rope twirled around the final stake.

She promptly grabbed a branch from a nearby tree which had fallen and began to clear the area in front of the tent in preparation for a campfire.

"Different monsters. They're everywhere! Name the monster and it's there, " Cal said.

"This just gets better and better," Mystia said sarcastically just as she hurriedly collected some wood and laid it where the campfire would be. She knew that Femur would be starting it in no time. Once she was through, she sat on one of the broken logs of that same fallen tree.

"Mystia, I'm hungry," Scrubs whined, tugging her tunic.

"Not now, Scrubs," Mystia said, waving him off. "I'm trying to listen."

Scrubs huffed and went toward the tent.

"Was there anything else there?" Femur asked.

"No, not really," Arthie replied. "Just different creatures. There's even Stalfos over there."

"They're scary..." Cal said, quietly.

"Very scary!" Carpa and Tunel said in unison.

_I'm assuming that the white shadows are there,_ Oni told her. _Considering that's the biggest thing going on around here._

_I assume the same thing,__ Mystia replied._

The travelers and the stalchildren gathered around the wood fire Femur built for them. Scrubs sat on the other side from Mystia and sternly stared at the fire as he ate his nuts. Mystia and Fetch began consuming their rations while Femur told stories. Mystia, however, was not paying attention to the stories. She had her mind on something else.

_I still can't believe that your name is Caspen,_ she said to Oni.

_You've said that at least twenty times now,_ Oni remarked.

_It's just that...I like it better than Oni. It sounds friendly._

_Why do you think I never told anyone my real name? I wanted to be feared, after all._

_So, what do I call you, then? Oni or Caspen?_

_To others, I'm Oni,_he replied. _You can call me Caspen if you want._

_Okay...Caspen. Wow...this is going to take some getting used to._

_Don't hurt yourself._

Mystia chuckled.

"What are you laughing about?" Scrubs grumbled once he had finally reached the deity's side.

Mystia, who was still thinking about what Caspen had just said, looked up at Scrubs with a smile.

"Nothing, Scrubs," she said, still slightly chuckling. "It's nothing."

"Didn't sound like 'nothing' to me," he mumbled, crossing his stubby arms as he glared furiously into the fire, then proceeded to stomp back over to his original seat.

_In the meantime, Mystia had noticed her friend's strange scowl__._ _What's up with him?_ She asked Caspen.

_Maybe he's just moody,_ Caspen suggested.

"It's time to eat!" Femur happily announced.

Once the meal was done, Femur and the Fracture children were so satisfied with their meals that they decided to take a midnight stroll. In spite of Scrubs' objections, which they didn't take seriously, they insisted that he join them and went so far as dragging him along. Fetch, meanwhile, went into the tent to sleep. Mystia still remained by the fire, staring deeply into the flickering flames and hearing the sound of wood popping loudly as it was consumed. The heat kept her from getting chilled in the cool summer night wind.

_Summer already,_Mystia thought._Just yesterday, it felt like spring had begun._

She pulled out her hand clock that Mayor Kaife gave her back in Termina. The hands were still moving at a rapid pace, but she managed to find out that it had been two weeks since they first went to Kakariko. Time was flying too fast for her to keep up. She felt she had lost too much time. She figured that autumn would return in a matter of days. She was getting sick of the weather changes...the time changes. She hated that it was always so dark no matter if it was night or day. She hated the Dark King for causing all this madness...all this chaos. She wished that it was all over. No loss of time, no darkness, no Dark King...no destroyed villages...no deaths...

_Are you alright?_ Caspen asked.

Mystia snapped out of her thoughts. She realized that her jaw was clenched and her hands tight. She relaxed and sighed. She was about to say, 'I'll be fine', but she couldn't bear to say it again. She knew she wasn't okay. She was tired of saying it. If she were, she wouldn't be feeling the way she felt.

_No,_ Mystia said in sadness. _I'm not alright._

_You wanna talk about it?_

_I don't...I don't know...It's...It's too hard to explain..._

_I'm listening,_he said to her gently.

She sighed again.

_I can't talk about it...but I can show you._

She closed her eyes and recalled the events that happened:

_She remembered it like yesterday. The explosions off in the distance. The smoke that flowed in the sky. The rushing of wind as she rode Starfire to the burning town. The adrenaline she felt as she worried for her family. The smell of burnt wood. The heat from the roaring fire. She could feel herself choking at the images that were forever burned into her mind. She saw her parents, dead and covered in blood. She witnessed the mayor as he took his last breath. She heard the manic laughs and screams of Ashasti. Tiko...her best friend__...telling her__ to leave town...to leave him. She escaped to the sound of Tiko's scream. She was being chased down by the stalfos. S__he__be__came stuck in the woods with the thought of no hope. She felt lost and scared..._

She opened her wet eyes and dried them quickly with the palm of her hand.

_Mystia,_ she heard Caspen say in pity. _That...that's horrible..._

_Now, do you see why I wouldn't want to talk about it?_ She replied.

_I can't believe he did that to you! __Mystia could sense a bit of tension and anger in his voice. __He...he_

_hurt you! He's not just a freak! He's a heartless murderer! To do such a thing to anyone...once I'm free of this mask, I'm going to make that demon-controlling freak wish he hadn't messed with you from day one!_

_Caspen, you don't have to do that—_

_Melody, that's a promise._

She was taken aback by what he said. That was the first time he had ever called her by her real name. If he was using her real name paired up with a promise, he would have to be serious and sincere. She softly smiled.

_Thanks, Caspen. I appreciate it._

_After what you did for me, I owe you one._

She could sense a smile coming from Caspen, which she never thought was possible.

"Pst!"

Mystia, startled by the noise, looked around. She heard Femur speaking with the children and the slight sounds of Fetch snoring.

_What was that?_ Mystia wondered.

"Pst!"

There it was again! She turned to find a glowing, yellow light on the other side of Zora's River. She stood up quickly while swinging her hand backwards to grab her weapon.

"Follow," the orb said, flashing as it spoke.

_I would advise the opposite,_ Caspen told her.

_Though, I am curious,_ Mystia replied to him. _I'll keep my guard up._

The female warrior followed the glowing orb before crossing through the warm river to the other side. The orb led her through the passage up Zora's River to a circle of rocks in a corner. The orb floated to the center of the circle and began to glow so brightly that Mystia had to cover her eyes. The light subsided and in its place stood Takaro with his arms crossed. His black cloak flowed in the steady wind.

"Hello again, Mystia," the mysterious man said softly.

"Not at all what I expected," Mystia frowned.

"Hold on," Takaro spoke quickly. "Please, I can explain."

"Well, that's new coming from you," she said, staring at him incredulously. "Go ahead! Explain yourself."

"It's about what happened back on Death Mountain. I don't exactly tell people this sort of thing, but after what you saw, I think you should be sure if you're going to trust me."

_About time!_ Caspen grumbled.

Takaro sighed; he uncrossed his arms and as he placed them on his hips, his cloak parted. Mystia could see that he had a white peasant shirt and black balloon-legged pants underneath. His one visible golden eye appeared nervous.

"It's about Ashasti," he finally spoke sadly. "The reason why I was speaking with him was because he came to me. I was in the mountain hunting for white shadows when he showed up."

"What did he want?" Mystia asked him.

"He...he wanted me to join him." He raised his hand when she opened her mouth in surprise. "Before you think that I would agree to such an offer, I didn't. Even when he asked me the first time—"

"First time?"

"Yes...the first time...which is why I look the way I do."

_Is he saying what I think he's saying?_ Caspen asked suspiciously.

"But why you specifically?" Mystia asked curiously. "Why would he want you to join him?"

He lowered his head. "Because...I'm his nephew."

"What?!" Mystia exclaimed, her eyes wide in shock. "Ashasti is your—"

"Yes. He's my uncle."

_I _knew_ there was something fishy about this guy!_ Caspen declared.

"But how..." Mystia began quietly, still in shock of what she heard.

"This is the part where it's hard to explain," Takaro interjected. "That's why I don't bring this up. People

like you wouldn't trust me."

He sighed in dejection.

"When I was younger, I lived with my uncle after my father died. I knew from the moment I met him that something was strange about him. He acted insane. He practiced with spells and incantations nightly in this special room that I was never allowed to go in. I only knew that he was doing it because I peeked inside through a crack in the wall that was in my room. I wasn't really sure of what he was doing. One day, my uncle brought me to that room. He said that he…wanted me to witness something. When I entered the room, there was a Triforce symbol marked on the ground along with six symbols of the sages. He started reciting a spell to each symbol until the center started glowing. The magic felt so dark. Some kind of portal appeared in the middle of the floor. Right before my eyes...rising from the floor...was the Dark King."

"You saw the Dark King?!" Mystia asked in surprise.

"He rose from the Dark Realm, so to speak," Takaro continued. "My uncle swore allegiance to him, then asked me to join them. I knew what the Dark King was capable of and I knew who he was. I said no and tried to run away."

"That's when Ashasti cast a white shadow on you," Mystia concluded.

"I tried to fight it! It was too strong. Then, a mysterious man came to me and put the monster inside me into a deep sleep with the magic that I now possess. If it wasn't for him, I would have been a slave to the Dark King for sure."

_I don't think he's telling us everything,_ Caspen mentioned. _He still hasn't explained how he knew you._

"So, what about me?" Mystia asked him. "Can you explain that?"

"That, I'm still not certain yet," Takaro replied. "All I know is there's a part of me that wants to help you. I'm not sure if it's instinct or just a calling. How I know your name is as much of a mystery to me

as you think."

Takaro lowered his arms.

"Now, you know. There's nothing more I can tell you. I'm sorry if it disappoints you, but it's the best I can do. Whether you trust me now or not is your choice, but know this: I'm always here to help." Takaro took a couple steps back and as he faded away, added, "'Til next time, Mystia."

_I'm not sure how to take this,_ Mystia thought, confused.

_I do,_ Caspen stated. _I like to rip his head off!_

"Miss! There you are!"

She turned around, spotting Femur, Scrubs and Fetch behind her.

"We wondered what happened to you, miss," Femur said, giving her a friendly smile. "Trying to get a head start, are we?"

Mystia smiled and shook her head.

"No," she replied. "Just having a private conversation."

"That's no surprise," Scrubs said with a huff.

Mystia looked at him, confused. "What is that supposed to mean, Scrubs?" she asked him.

"What?" Scrubs said, annoyed. "Isn't it okay that I have private thoughts, too?"

Mystia was really confused. This wasn't like Scrubs to act this way.

"Why are you getting so upset at me?" she asked him kindly.

"Dekus can have feelings, too!" he scowled, folding his stubby arms across his chest.

"Who said you didn't?" Mystia inquired.

The Deku pressed on, "Why should I tell you? I don't have to tell you anything!"

Mystia started getting annoyed, though she still was wondering what was wrong with him.

_Maybe something he ate at supper disagreed with_ _him... Wait._ _Can woody stomachs even get upset_? Caspen flippantly said.

Mystia ignored Caspen and gently continued, "Hey, Scrubs. I can tell that you're upset. What's wrong?"

"Nothin's wrong with me!" he protested.

Femur frowned in confusion. Of course there was something wrong.

_"Okay! Seriously! What is his problem?" _Oni grumbled.

Mystia was now so upset with Oni's usual brashness concerning her little friend and the fact that Scrubs wouldn't tell her what was bothering him that she didn't realize that she had blurted out her comment to Oni out loud, "I'm trying to find out what his problem is!"

Scrubs turned around; his yellow eyes glared at her.

"I don't have a problem!" he shouted at her. "You're the one with a problem!"

Fetch started barking when the volume of the voices of those talking had all of the sudden increased.

"It's okay, boy. Everything's okay," Mystia gently said to the wolfos before turning to the Deku again. "But Scrubs, I didn't mean what I just said, I meant that…"

But Scrubs rudely cut her off, "There you go again, saying one thing but meaning another!"

_"Whoa! Excuse me! Who gave him the right to judge people?" _Oni suddenly humphed.

Once again, Oni's comment was enough to distract the girl and she didn't realize that she had answered the deity out loud, "Will you be quiet?"

"Yeah, sure. Just because you're bigger than me doesn't mean that I have to agree with you! In fact, all you ever think about is yourself! You don't care about other people!" Scrubs said accusingly.

"That's not true!" she insisted, getting very upset over her friend's irrational behavior. Why was he so angry?

"Scrubs, my friend," Femur said, rattled at the situation. "Mystia has never thought of herself. She's a loyal friend to all —"

"Oh, shut up!" Scrubs hissed.

Oni immediately growled to Mystia,_ Why that snotty little twig! Just one spark from your sword should sizzle up his little…_

Now very upset with Oni's constant interruptions, she angrily—yet accidentally— scolded him out loud, "Will you cut it out!? What did he ever do to you?"

Scrubs was now beyond reason as he yelled back, "I won't cut it out! And why do you always tell me what to do?"

Mystia had enough. She had no idea what was wrong, but she was getting sick and tired of Oni's comments and Scrubs' yelling at her for no reason.

Her eyes lit up as she finally yelled back at her little friend, "By Din's Fire, Scrubs! I was telling Oni to cut it out just now! Not you! Why don't you tell me what's wrong?"

"See? See what I mean?" Scrubs declared. "You don't care! You only care about your feelings! Your problems! The only person you ever talk to is Oni the Terrible!"

_He did NOT just go there!_ Caspen exclaimed angrily.

Suddenly defending Oni, Mystia yelled, "Don't talk about him like that!"

"I bet you're always siding with him!" Scrubs fumed. "I see how it is! Fine! Side with the real enemy! The jerk of jerks! The low-down, selfish, crummy —"

Oni growled, _Look who's talking about being selfish, Mystia—and from day one! Eating your nuts! Riding your horse! Complaining about being so tired and hungry when I've been forced to watch you help him! Especially when he's nothing but a __**little **__big, stupid coward!"_

"You're not helping!" Mystia yelled to Oni for all to hear.

"Now you're accusing me of not ever helping you? What about when I saved your butt in Goron City?" Scrubs defended.

But Mystia hadn't heard her little friend because Oni had just yelled in her mind, _Oh yeah, you little handful of fodder? What about the time those Deku hornets chased after you? What about the bulokoblin? How about the time that Ashasti attacked us back in Termina? What about Gometh? What did you do? You ran and hid like a scared cuccoo! You call yourself a fearless warrior, but you're nothing but a shaky piece of driftwood and if you don't like me, then you can just leave!"_

_I don't want him to_ leave_!" _Mystia half-said only to Oni and half-blurted out loud.

"Fine! Then_ I_ will leave!" Scrubs turned around and waddled away. He stopped halfway and glared back. "Good riddance!" Then, he waddled even farther until he was out of sight.

"Wait!" Mystia yelled toward the little Deku.

But Scrubs just kept going.

_Ugh! The nerve, __Caspen said.__ And serves him right!_ _He should have known better!_

_"Well, you certainly didn't help things work out!" she chided him out loud. "I can see now that he must be jealous of you!"_

_What? Are you serious?__ Oni snorted. __He can't even compete…_

Now Mystia was peeved with Oni. He had made things worse than they needed to be. She was about to give him a tongue lashing when she was interrupted.

"Miss?" Femur said nervously. "I don't think —"

"What?!" Mystia said to the Stalfos harshly.

"I...I...never mind..."

Fetch whined softly at Mystia. She looked down at him with a glare.

"What are you looking at?" she spoke harshly, though she was really upset with Oni and what happened between Scrubs and her.

Fetch stepped away as he whined sadly once again.

Mystia looked toward Kakariko and quickly spotted the sun rising from the horizon. She sighed heavily in frustration.

"Come on," she grumbled. "I'm sure Scrubs will calm down and catch up. We need to get to Zora's Domain and get the Stone of Water."

She started walking upward toward the river. She got halfway up the slope and turned around to find Femur and Fetch still standing still.

"Well? Aren't you coming?" she asked harshly. "Or do you want to stand around all day?"

Femur appeared reluctant at first, but then hurried to catch up while Fetch followed behind with his tail between his legs.

* * *

><p>Izzy: Longest chapter ever written!<p>

Oni: Just when things were going well between me and Mystia.

Scrubs: Jerkface!

Oni: Twig!

Scrubs: Stupid!

Oni: Nuthead!

Izzy: ENOUGH! Gee! Anyway, things aren't going so well for our group of friends here...

Oni: *coughing sarcastically* NOT FRIENDS!

Izzy: ...and ended with complications. Scrubs is gone, Mystia is mad at Caspen, and poor Femur and Fetch are stuck in the middle of it. The questions here are: why was Scrubs so mad at Mystia for? Will he come back or will our deity girl have to do without him? Did Caspen ruin a relationship between the Deku and our warrior or even her and himself?

Oni: HEY!

Izzy: Find out next chapter!

Roecliff: R&R!


	30. A Queen's Lament

Izzy: Hellooooooooooooo fellow readers!

Roecliff: I. do. not. like. your. husband.

Izzy: Why?

Roecliff: He called me a pony!

Oni: BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Roecliff: It's not funny-

Izzy: ANYWAY! So we have a HUUUUUUGE issue! Mystia and Scrubs (and Mystia and Caspen) got into a BIG argument. And over what? No one knows why Scrubs was sooooo ticked off, but we know why the other two were. On top of all that, Takaro just revealed the big secret, but Mystia and Caspen feel like he hasn't been entirely truthful about everything. Will Scrubs come back? Will there ever be peace between Mystia and Caspen? We'll find out!

Disclaimer: Still wish to own Zelda...

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><p>At the top of Zora's River, a huge waterfall cascaded down from a high cliff. Mystia couldn't take in its beauty, though. She was still frustrated about Scrubs. She couldn't believe what he told her. She was the one with problems? Only thinking about herself? What rubbish! She had never thought of herself once. She couldn't understand why he would think things like that. Of all people, she wouldn't have suspected Scrubs would have said such things! Talk about selfish! He was always thinking of himself! Why did he have to lay his anger on her? It wasn't fair!<p>

"Miss?" she heard Femur ask nervously. "How do you suppose we get inside?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Mystia answered rudely.

Fetch barked, grabbing Mystia's attention. The wolfos pawed at the ground, showing her a symbol of the Triforce and writing underneath her feet.

It said:

_Sleepless Waterfall_

_The flow of this waterfall serves the King of Hyrule._

_When the King slumbers, so too do these falls._

"When the King slumbers?" Mystia read aloud. "What is that supposed to mean?!"

"Sleepless Waterfall?" Femur asked. "Does that mean that the waterfall needs to be put to sleep in order for us to cross it?"

"Put a waterfall to sleep?" Mystia asked incredulously to Femur. "And how do you suppose that could happen?"

"I...I don't know."

_What about the song that Impa taught you?_ Caspen suggested. _She did say that she played it for the queen as a lullaby. It could be that song._

_Just for the record, I'm still upset with you, _she immediately shot back.

_Okay, so you are_, Oni agreed. _But can we just put all that aside for now? We're on a mission. Besides, you should know that we wouldn't be able to get rid of the little twig that easily. He'll be back before we both know it._

Mystia frowned at both of Caspen's comments. He was right about calming down and focusing on the mission, but he still wasn't helping with insulting Scrubs again. She took in a deep breath and paused a moment as she tried to clear her mind of her anger and frustration. Finally, she felt in control. Yet, she didn't want Oni to know that he was totally off the hook.

Finally, she admitted, _Okay. I'll put my real thoughts about your attitude lately on hold for now. In the meant time, your suggestion isn't that bad and is worth a shot._

Somehow the girl could feel Oni smile weakly. She sighed again but gathered her thoughts pulled out her white ocarina and played Zelda's Lullaby. No sooner had she finished, the waterfall slowed down.

"That works," Femur commented.

Mystia ran and jumped to the doorway, then turned to Femur.

"Come on," she said.

Femur and Fetch leaped to the ledge in time for the waterfall to resume its roaring flow. The group began their way into Zora's Domain.

The sound of another waterfall was heard inside.

Mystia spotted the ginormous fall to her right, which splashed below into a huge pool. In front of her was a two-way path, one leading up and the other leading down. The only thing missing were the Zoras.

"Where is everybody?" Mystia inquired to herself.

"Maybe they're in hiding?" Femur guessed.

"Who are you!" shouted a voice.

Mystia looked up toward the top of the path and spotted a Zora off in the distance. He was rushing down the path, getting closer to the point that she can make out the details. Like any other Zoras, he had a slender body with several delicate tattoos adorning it, and fins on its arms and legs. His feet were also webbed and wide, as if they were made to slice easily through the water. The top of his head almost appeared cone-shaped, and curved slightly forward. Around his waist he wore a tunic-like skirt with sapphire gemstones crested at the belt. Around his neck he wore a teardrop sapphire stone. When she saw his eyes, she noticed how human they looked. They were such a dark blue that it almost looked black. Mystia figured that he could be a young teenager. He carried a spear in his hand, which was held out toward Mystia.

"I demand an answer," the young teen Zora shouted again as he jutted the spear closer to Mystia's neck. "Who are you?"

"Whoa! Hey!" Mystia exclaimed.

"Oh, dear!" Femur said, nervously. "Please put that thing down!"

"Really!" Mystia told the Zora boy. "Put that down! You don't want to upset the Stalfos."

"What are you doing with a Stalfos, anyway?" the boy demanded. "They are the enemy!

"Look, kid!" Mystia said harshly. "Aren't you a little immature to be holding that spear?"

"No!" he shouted. "I am Linruto, prince of the Zora people! And you are an enemy!"

"Sure! A prince!" the warrior remarked rudely. "A prince that carries around sharp, pointy objects that can poke someone's eye out!"

"Oooooohhhh!" Femur moaned.

"Now, come on, kid!" Mystia continued. "What would happen if your mother saw you with that?"

Suddenly, another voice echoed throughout the whole domain, WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY'RE GONE?! WHERE ARE THEY?!"

Mystia and Femur jumped. Mystia heard the sound of rushing, pattering feet from a distance. Her eyes caught sight of someone at the top of the upward path. She pulled out her sword in defense.

An older Zora female appeared around the corner from a set of stairs. Though her face was thin and oval, her head was wide and triangular and covered by thick, straight, blue hair cut short. The large fins close to each of her hips flapped so vigorously as she moved swiftly down the path that it seemed as if she was wearing a thin blue dress. But there was no mistaking the frustrated look on her face as she came near her. Behind her were two Zora soldiers carrying spears. Their helmets, designed to look like fish, covered their heads and faces.

"We don't know what happened to them, my queen," one of the soldiers responded nervously. "They just disappeared."

The Zora female, whom the soldier called 'his queen', stopped abruptly and turned to them.

"They don't just disappear!" the female shouted. "They know they don't leave without my permission!"

"Yes, my queen, but—" muttered the other soldier.

"No!" the queen interrupted. "I'm tired of my men disappearing on me! This must be resolved immediately! The next soldier that leaves this area..."

By this time, the female had turned around and noticed Mystia. The Zora's eyes widened in surprise when she saw a familiar gleam.

"LINK?!"

She wasted no time to rush down the stairs in excitement. She stopped a couple feet away from Mystia and the warrior noticed her eyes. Just like the Zora boy, her eyes were of human appearance. They were a deep royal purple, shimmering like the water that surrounded them, but they suddenly dropped in sadness.

"Oh," she said sadly. "You're not him are you?"

Mystia backed slight away from the Zora, re-sheathed her sword and looked at her in confusion. "Uh...no?"

"I see," the Zora female replied. "When I saw the sword, I thought you were him at first. Of course, it even looks different now that I've seen it up close. And, obviously, you do, too..." Her mood seemed to change to curiosity in a split second. "Are you a warrior?"

"Yes?" Mystia replied. She thought it was a random question to ask.

"You'll do, then!" the queen declared. "Come on!"

Before she realized it, the Zora queen grabbed Mystia by the arm and started dragging her up the path.

"Mother!" the teen Zora shouted. "She's the enemy!"

"The prince could be right," one guard called out. "I don't think this is a good idea. She could be one of them."

The Zora female stopped and turned to the boy and the guards.

"Oh, pish-posh!" she replied. "She's no trouble!"

_How would_ she_ know that?_ Caspen asked.

"Miss!" Femur shouted to Mystia. "Do you need some assistance?"

"Uh...no!" Mystia yelled back as the fish woman dragged her along. "I think I'm-ack!-good for now- whah!"

The queen continued to pull Mystia along up the path and up a long flight of stairs. Even as frustrated as she was, Mystia was too nervous to pull away from the queen's grasp. The Zora's long fingernails and firm grip would surely leave nasty scratch marks should Mystia try to pull away.

At the top of the stairs was what appeared to be a throne room. A doorway closed off by an iron gate stood above a ledge. A trickling waterfall flowed from it and fell into a pool of water that had formed in the cut-out shallow floor. Mystia noticed a torch to her left which was lighting up a path leading upward. To her right was another opening where the water from the pool flowed to. Before her was a set of stairs that led to a tall platform.

The queen dragged her up the stairs, let go of Mystia's arm, and looked at her sternly.

"First," she began, "there has to be an introduction. I am Ruto, queen of the Zora people! And your name?"

"Uh, Oni Mystia," the young girl replied, wondering what was going on. "Warrior...of Hyrule..."

"Good!" the queen replied. "Now to business! A terrible thing is happening in Zora's Domain."

_No kidding..._ Caspen stated sarcastically.

"I had locked away the Zora's Engagement Ring in the Water Temple to keep it safe. One day, a woman of shadow came here demanding the stone, but I wouldn't give it to her. She promised me sorrow and suffering before she finally gave up. Since then, there has been nothing but peril. My kingdom was overrun by a strange force taking down most of my people. They transformed into hideous creatures. Horrid creatures! Now, all I have here are two soldiers and my own son."

_Don't tell me it's another rescue mission? _Caspen groaned.

"I was hoping you could somehow save my men from this catastrophe," the queen concluded.

_However did I know?_ Caspen sarcastically spoke.

"From what you told me," Mystia spoke replied after listening to and ignoring Oni, "my guess is that your people had been taken over by white shadows."

"What?" the queen asked in disgust.

Mystia explained everything about the white shadows from the people of Termina to the armadillo in the Fire Temple.

"Ew!" Ruto recoiled. "They sound nasty! They must be stopped! If not, they could take the last of my soldiers. Maybe even my own son!"

"Your son?" Mystia asked uncomfortably.

"His name is Prince Linruto."

"Prince...Linruto?" Mystia grimaced, remembering the Zora boy that confronted her.

_Way to go, Mystia!_ Caspen teased.

Mystia growled inside. She knew his comment was because of her rudeness to 'his highness' earlier and for not believing that he was a prince. She could only imagine him mocking her with a grin and patting her on the back humorously.

"He's my only son," the queen continued. "His father was killed several years ago by the Dark King's monsters. He doesn't talk much to people. Not even to me. He's very seclusive."

_Strange,_ Mystia inquired._ He talked to me just fine._

_That's because he saw a very scary giant with a sword,_ Caspen said bluntly.

"I would hate for anything bad to happen to him. He needs to be protected from the monsters that terrorize the domain," added the queen.

"Understood," Mystia replied, but something else was on her mind. "Queen Ruto. Why did you think I was Link?"

The queen sighed and lowered her eyes in sadness.

"You...you look so much like him," she said quietly. "He...he was once my fiancé."

_Her what?!_ Caspen exclaimed. _A Hylian marrying a fish?! Gross!_

"I gave him the Zora's Engagement Ring after he rescued me from the monsters in Lord Jabu Jabu. We were young then, but my eternal love never changed for him..." Tears swelled in her eyes as she continued, "...even when he left me for another woman."

The queen began to sob.

"Then, he left and seven months later...his home...burned to the ground. His wife and child were inside. No one knows how it happened. Then, the Dark King took over and all of us waited for Link to return...but he didn't. We all assumed that...that..." The queen cried even harder and buried her head in her hands as tears flowed from her eyes.

Mystia was horrified. The Hero of Time's wife and child...burned! She couldn't believe it! _Poor Link!_ She thought._ If he were back and found out about this, he would be mortified! _She couldn't help but feel the pain strike her heart like a nail to a piece of board.

"Who was the wife and child?" she asked the queen.

"The woman's name was Malon," the queen replied.

Malon! She recognized the name immediately. It was the name Romani mentioned back in Termina. Romani's cousin.

_She won't be happy with that news, _Mystia thought.

"As for the child," the queen spoke, "I...I don't even know. I remember the child being born, but nothing after that."

"I'm sorry for the loss of your husband," Mystia consoled. "I'm sure you loved him very much."

"Yes..." the queen said, looking up at Mystia with her violet eyes still wet with tears. "So you understand why I must protect my son. After what happened to Link's family, I can't have the same happen to mine. Please! I'm asking you to do this."

"If we do this, your majesty," Mystia spoke, "then can we have the Stone of Water in return?"

Ruto suddenly glared at the girl.

"What?!" she exclaimed angrily. "Give you the stone? Never! That stone is the Zora's Engagement Ring!"

_Uh, if that's the Zora's Engagement Ring,_ Caspen spoke up quickly, _then you might want to skip out. You wouldn't want to be engaged to—_

_Ew!_ Mystia thought. _Thanks for that one!_

All of the sudden, Mystia and Ruto jumped when they could hear someone yelling, "PRINCE!"

Mystia knew right away it was Femur. Without another thought, she ran down the stairs to the main hall.

Once again Femur was lying in a pile of bones by the entrance and Fetch was barking at the water below.

"Femur!" Mystia exclaimed. "What happened?!"

"The soldiers!" the Stalfos replied, trembling. "They started acting weird! They transformed into fish monsters and they took the prince!"

"My son!" Queen Ruto wailed in shock and sorrow. "No! My son!"

"Where did they go?" Mystia asked Femur in a serious tone.

"They went down in the water and disappeared," he replied.

Ruto made a dash for the pool, but Mystia caught her by the waist and pulled her back.

"No, my queen!" she demanded. "It's not safe for you down there!"

"But that pool leads to a secret tunnel to Hylia Lake," the Zora queen said in between gasps. "The Water Temple rests there...along with the stone. My son needs me! My son needs me!"

Ruto attempted to struggle out of Mystia's grasp, but the warrior hung tight around her.

"Listen to me!" Mystia shouted sternly. "You can't save your son if you risk your own life, too!"

Tears began to flow from her eyes as she stopped struggling.

"I will go and get him," Mystia assured her. "I promise! I will return your son back to you! And your men! I will make sure the stone is safe, but you have to trust me!"

The queen seemed reluctant at first, but she eventually nodded in agreement. Mystia let her go and Ruto collapsed on the ground in exhaustion.

"Femur, stay with the queen," Mystia commanded.

Mystia then took a deep breath and leaped into the pool below her. As her body made contact with the water, it swallowed her to the bottom. The liquid was warm and clear like glass. She glanced around to find the tunnel Ruto had mentioned before, only to feel her chest harden from holding her breath for so long.

_It's okay to breathe underwater, _Caspen told her.

_What?_ Mystia replied, confused.

_Open your mouth!_

Mystia did and, to her surprise, water did not flow into her nose or throat. Bubbles formed in front of her.

_How_...she began.

_Deities?_ Caspen pointed out with a hint of amusement.

Mystia couldn't help but grin. _Admit it! You're humoring me!_

_Mmmm...maybe a little..._

_Well...an advantage is an advantage._

Just then, she spotted an opening farther down below her. Thinking that's where she needed to go, she swam her way down and into the mysterious hole.

* * *

><p>Izzy: Whew! A lot going on now!<p>

Roecliff: Still don't like your husband...

Izzy: You can get over it!

Roecliff: But-

Izzy: MOVING ON! Queen Ruto is depressed, her guards are now gone along with the prince, and still no sign of Scrubs! What will Mystia find in the Water Temple? We will find out next chapter!

Roecliff: *grumbling*

Izzy: And since my dragon is too grumpy at the moment, please R&R!


	31. Fishy Business in the Water Temple

Izzy: Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey readeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrsssssssssssss! Good to see you all again!

Roecliff: You seem to be posting more chapters lately.

Izzy: I've probably posted three to five chapters in this month alone.

Oni: Good! It's about time!

Izzy: Aaaaalllllllright! Mystia is now on her way to rescue the prince from the white shadows! What will she find when she reaches the Water Temple? Will she save the prince and get the Spiritual Stone of Water? Will she EVER see Scrubs and will she make up with Caspen soon? Let's find out!

Disclaimer: Still do not own the Zelda stuff...

* * *

><p>Mystia couldn't describe the feeling she had as she went through the hole. The next thing she knew, she had been warped to a different location. She looked around in her new underwater surroundings in the same crystal clear view as the pool in Zora's Domain.<p>

Something below her caught her attention. A strange, black and white creature, carrying a long spear, was swimming toward what looked like a gated underwater doorway. It hit a blue gemstone that hovered above it with the spear, which caused the gate to rise. It quickly swam in with the gate's closing behind it.

_That must be the Water Temple,_ Mystia thought.

She quickly swam to the entrance and glanced at the gemstone. A beautiful hue of blue glistened through the water surrounding it. She forced herself up to the stone and hit it herself. Nothing happened.

_It worked with the last guy...or thing. Why won't it work now? _she immediately thought.

_Well, last I checked, the thing hit the stone with a spear, not his hand,_ Caspen commented.

Mystia glanced at her hand, turning red with embarrassment since she was no longer that mad at him. Still, she didn't want him to think he was completely off the hook, either. She replied, _So, what do you suggest, wise guy?_

_Maybe you should try hitting it with something._

_But with what? _she prodded.

_Well, he used a spear, which is made of metal. And swinging a sword underwater would be rather difficult. So..._

_My hookshot! _She excitedly interjected.

_Somehow you read my mind._

Mystia smirked. Alright, she wasn't as mad at him as she thought. She hurriedly quipped,_ Two minds think alike._

Mystia reached into her magic pouch, and felt around for the Zora gift from Termina. When she got a hold of it, she pulled it out and aimed it at the blue gemstone. She released the hook, which made immediate contact with a clang. She then heard the gate rising. With a smile of victory, she swam down and into the door.

* * *

><p>She heaved herself onto the ledge before her and out of the water. Drenched and dripping, she walked to the doorway before her and looked into in a room with a giant pillar in the middle. The pillar itself reached toward the bottom of the temple, which was about three stories down, and had two narrow ledges surrounding it: one toward the second floor and the other before Mystia. Water filled right under the top ledge of the pillar. The atmosphere of the room was strangely calming to her.<p>

_Mystia!_ Caspen spoke quickly. _To your left! Up on that high ledge._

She whipped her head in the direction Caspen mentioned and spotted the same black-and-white monster from before standing on a higher ledge on the far left side of the room. She backed herself against the wall behind her and dimmed her glow before peeking around the corner to get a better look at the creature. It appeared Zora-like with webbed, clawed hands and feet and spines that went up its back. When it turned around, the sides of its head were outlined with fins and frills. Its face was frightening, with only nostril holes for a nose, huge fish lips with razor sharp teeth, and beady, red eyes.

_That has to be a Zora!_ Mystia thought.

_A very ugly Zora,_ Caspen commented with disgust.

_It means that it's possessed by a white shadow,_ Mystia mentioned.

The fish creature stood between two dragon pillars with targets on them. In between the statues was a door, which the monster walked toward and disappeared through.

Mystia leaped toward the giant pillar in the middle of the room, landing on the platform before her and carefully went around toward the high ledge on the left side.

_You know, _Caspen spoke up, _if it wasn't for the fact that white shadows are causing havoc for the Zora's, I would say that this place was quite peaceful to stay in for the night._

All of the sudden, his comment irritated her, which only reminded her that she was still upset with him. She tersely answered_, That has to be the first time I've ever heard you say something positive for the past few months,_

_That's not true!_ Caspen objected.

_Name one thing besides this place that you've complimented on._

There was silence for a moment.

_That's what I thought,_ Mystia confirmed.

_Well, excuse me for being a pessimist! But...I thought the Kokiri Forest was pretty nice._

_Nice to know,_ Mystia said sarcastically.

_You sure have a thing for teasing,_ Caspen commented. _I'm assuming you did that a lot with your friends._

_Only one in particular,_ Mystia corrected as she fired her hookshot at one of the targets on the dragon statues. The hookshot grabbed the target and pulled her onto the ledge.

_Was it Tiko?_ Caspen asked calmly.

Mystia paused. Tiko's face, which smiled in laughter, appeared in her mind, causing a painful throb in her chest. Tiko's very happy face appeared in her mind, which only triggered a painful throb in her chest.

_Yes,_ she answered sadly. _It was him._

Memories swept through her mind of her old friend: the times that she had with him…Going into town to get food and play games…Riding horseback with him by her side… His spending time and having a picnic with her in Meladon Field… Cloud and stargazing together… Dancing the Sky and Earth Dance together… Making fun and pulling pranks on each other (mostly her doing it to him)… His sitting by her side as she healed from the wolfos attack… Seeing his smile… Hearing his laugh...

Then, she saw him next to her as they witnessed the burning of the village and the death of the mayor... Seeing him stand between her and Ashasti and telling her to run and get help…Then…then the last sound she heard of him...a scream...

A scream!

She snapped back to reality when she heard a squeal of fright.

_What was that?_ Caspen asked. _The prince?_

_That wasn't a Zora scream,_ Mystia mentioned._ They don't squeal like that._

_Then what is it?_

Then, the squeal happened again.

She listened closely to the sound. She then recognized the scream and she felt her blood run cold. It was the same scream coming from...

_A Deku, _she panicked. _ It's Scrubs!_

She rushed through the door, entering a room with a steep slope and a huge door at the top. Sliding back and forth in the middle of the slope were three spikes.

"Femur would have hated coming here," she spoke to herself.

_I think it would be hilarious!_ Caspen chuckled.

_Now's not the time to joke around!_ Mystia replied to him harshly.

_Okay! Gee!_ Caspen said in defense.

Mystia started going up the slope, avoiding the spikes as much as possible. With the last one almost upon her, she rolled to the top to avoid it.

"Whew! Close call," she stated as she walked through the door.

* * *

><p>In the large room she entered, a huge stone platform floated in the middle of a pool of water and spikes outlined the walls. But her attention was focused on the number of cursed Zoras on the giant floor. She counted at least fifteen of them. Then, she gasped in horror at another sight.<p>

In the center of the floor stood a frozen, twisted, black-and-white Deku.

"SCRUBS!" she screamed.

Her cry caught the attention of the horrid creatures. All of them hissed and angrily shrieked at her as they turned towards the giant Hylian.

_Great job getting their attention,_ Caspen stated sarcastically.

"We meet again, warrior," spoke a voice.

The shadow woman, Nightus, suddenly appeared between her and Scrubs. Her red, lava hair flowed unnaturally as she smiled sinisterly.

_Who invited her to the white shadow party?_ Caspen asked sarcastically.

_She invited herself,_ Mystia thought angrily.

"So nice to see you," Nightus said, grinning even more.

"What do you want?!" Mystia furiously demanded.

Nightus' black hand reached up and brushed her hair to the side.

"You already know what I want," the shadow told the deity.

The evil woman turned and approached the frozen Deku and promptly leaned on the top of his head.

"Your poor little friend was all on his own in Hyrule Field when I found him," she said coyly. "He was talking about how much he missed his good friend, Oni Mystia. He was very sad, so...I decided to do him a favor and help him."

"How DARE you!" Mystia snapped.

The shadow woman giggled.

"Of course, I had some help with that," she grinned.

"Yes, indeed!" chimed in another voice.

A bald, scarred-mouthed man suddenly appeared behind Nightus.

"Ashasti!" Mystia hissed. "It's not really a surprise to see you here."

"Oh, yes, dear girl!" the man said, smiling crookedly. "Nightus here has been such a great help to me over the last few days...or has it been months?" He chuckled to himself with glee.

"Shut up, you idiot!" Nightus said harshly.

Ashasti backed up with a surprised look in his eyes.

"Don't be crude, my dear," he said to the shadow. "I was only..."

"Do I have to tell you again?" the dark woman hissed.

Ashasti closed his mouth with a frown and said no more.

_Well, look who's in control now?_ Caspen commented with amusement.

"Now, Oni Mystia," Nightus continued while looking at her, "if you were to, say...quit this whole charade of finding the three stones and giving me the Stone of Fire, I might just let your little shrub-for-a-friend go. If you don't...then your friend stays stuck frozen in time forever and you will die!"

"I won't surrender to the likes of you, Nightus!" Mystia clearly stated. "Not even for my friend's life. I will fight you for him!"

A look of disappointment crossed the shadow woman's face.

"Very well, Deity Child," she said darkly. "Then death is what you deserve!"

Nightus then grinned deviously.

"However, it won't be me who will kill you," the woman concluded.

Smoke surrounded her and she disappeared from sight.

Ashasti grinned with a gleam of joy in his eyes.

"Good-bye, Oni Mystia!" he said to her. "May you die a horrid death...as promised!"

The fake warlock snapped his fingers and disappeared the same way.

"Now, how do you explain that phenomenon?" Mystia asked aloud.

_Don't ask me,_ Caspen replied.

Mystia looked back at Scrubs and his deranged form. The Deku looked so frightened. Right then, however, all she cared about was that her friend was in trouble and she was determined to get him back at whatever cost.

_Mystia! Are you listening?!_ Caspen shouted. _Fish man at three o' clock!_

Mystia looked to her right to see one of the Zora monsters close by her. Not able to pull out her sword in time, she improvised with a punch to the creature's face to knock it back into the water.

More creatures started to charge when the platform suddenly started to rumble. The creatures shrieked in fear and jumped into the water. The rumbling continued until a geyser shot out from beneath the platform and shoved it to the top. Then, the water fell back down and the rock remained above.

_White shadows! Up there!_ Caspen said as he changed her vision, revealing the shadows holding up the platform.

_Joy..._ Mystia began, but her thoughts were interrupted by another rumble.

More water sprayed upward from the pool before her as a gigantic, white squid rose from the blue liquid.

Its face was similar to the cursed Zoras: huge lips, razor sharp teeth, slits for nostrils, and big beady red eyes. Its tentacles shot out of the water and shook wildly. It roared loudly in anger.

Mystia then noticed that a big blue stone was in the middle of its head.

_That must be the Stone of Water,_ Mystia thought.

_Time to turn this squid into fish bait!_ Caspen declared.

Mystia couldn't agree more. She whipped out the Double Helix Sword and got herself ready for battle. All that played in her mind were two things: making the squid minced meat and seeing poor Scrubs frozen by the white shadow that possessed him.

_I've lost one friend,_ Mystia thought. _I'm not losing another._

_Weren't you just slammed with rude comments by that Deku just about an hour ago?_ Caspen asked, curiously. _Think about this! He just said horrible things about you and you want to help this jerk?!_

_He may have been a jerk, Caspen, _Mystia spoke, _but that doesn't mean he isn't my friend anymore and that he's just like other people and is in need of our help in rescue._

_Well...I...Oh, forget it!_

Caspen changed her vision back while Mystia swung her sword to send forth beams at the creature. They slashed and cut one of its tentacles in half. The squid shrieked in pain, but retaliated with a strike from its other tentacle.

Mystia dodged, letting the tentacle slam on the ledge next to her. She didn't think twice before chopping the tentacle with her weapon. The creature shrieked again. To her surprise, Mystia saw four more squid arms shoot out from under the water.

_Are you kidding me!?_ Caspen exclaimed angrily. _How many arms does this thing have?! _

Mystia couldn't answer. She had to keep moving out of the way of the swinging arms flying towards her.

_How am I supposed to kill this thing?!_ She thought, frustrated at not getting anywhere with this battle.

She tried to think through her inventory of weapons as she constantly dodged the squid's attacks and slicing its arms off. She realized that she really didn't have much: a hookshot, a shield, a fairy, a bag of bombs, Deku nuts...

She slashed the last tentacle and the monster screeched loudly. Then, it began to breathe in boldly. Mystia felt as if she was about to be pulled in. Then the creature stopped and quickly opened its mouth wide. As it did, a huge fireball came out and hurdled toward the giant.

_Din's Fire!_ She swore to herself.

She quickly pulled out her shield, which easily protected her from the huge ball of flames. The flames thinned out once it made contact with her shield.

_Let's fight fire with fire,_ Caspen suggested.

Mystia knew exactly what he meant.

_First, I need fire,_ she told him.

Nearby her, she spotted a tentacle lit by the fire the monster had used to attack her. She pulled out a bomb and lit the fuse with the fire. She heard the creature breathing in heavily from behind. Quickly, she rushed to the squid and threw the bomb toward it.

The bomb was caught in the airflow and went straight into the monster's mouth. The squid closed its mouth in surprise. Then, a muffled explosion was heard inside the creature. In pain, the monster slashed the water with its tentacles violently.

Mystia then used her sword to send energy beams toward it. It made impact and the creature crumpled up. Then, the monster shrunk down to a small, Zora-like person.

It was Prince Linruto!

_Mystia! Watch out!_ Caspen shouted.

Her vision changed in time to see not one, but five white shadows charging towards her. She used her sword to destroy the white shadows in one full swoop. She quickly looked up and searched for the white shadows still above her.

They had let go of the platform they were holding and took off in a flash. The platform fell from above and landed in the water with a huge splash. Scrubs, in his deranged form, still stood in the middle of the floor.

Mystia leaped onto the platform and knelt before Scrubs. The face she saw still appeared scared. She felt tears weld up in her eyes.

_I can't lose him!_ She thought. _Not today!_

She stood back up and took a couple steps back as she pulled out a Deku nut. Sword in the left hand and nut in the right, she made ready for what would come next. She threw the nut at Scrubs. Caspen adjusted her vision and she saw the white shadow appear in a daze. Within those three seconds, she slashed the monster into nothingness. She sheathed her weapon and Caspen brought her vision back to normal. She once again knelt before Scrubs, who had fallen over in exhaustion.

"Ohhhhh..." the little Deku moaned. "What happened?"

"Scrubs, are you okay?" Mystia asked in a soft voice.

The Deku sat up, rubbing his brown-leafed head with his stubby hand. He then took notice of the giant.

"Mystia?" he said, confused. "Is that you?"

Mystia smiled. "Of course, it's me."

"But...but...I didn't think you..."

"That I wouldn't come and rescue you?" Mystia finished. "Actually, I had no idea you were in here, but as soon as I did..." She gave a heavy sigh in sadness. "...I...I couldn't leave you like that alone."

"You mean..."

"Scrubs, you're my friend. I don't abandon my friends."

The eyes and mouth of Scrubs smiled. He got up and leaped into Mystia's arms.

"I'm very glad you came," he squeaked.

Mystia welcomed the hug gladly. She really missed his hugs.

"Me, too," she replied.

"And...and I'm sorry," Scrubs apologized as he pulled away from her. "I got very angry at you. I was...I was...I was really jealous."

"Jealous?" she repeated back in a small chuckle. "What for?"

"Well...for a very long time, you were...distant."

"What?" Mystia said, taken aback by his statement.

"You always talked to Oni and you became very secretive. I just...I..." The little Deku lowered his head sadly. "I thought you forgot about me."

Mystia felt a tear in her heart as she heard those words. She had no idea how much she had neglected him.

_Some friend I've been,_ she thought to herself in guilt.

"Oh, Scrubs," Mystia said sadly. "I'm so sorry. I didn't realize that I've been ignoring you this whole time. I...I've had so much on my mind lately that...that I didn't even pay attention to what was happening."

"You have friends to talk to, Mystia," Scrubs told her.

_What?_ Caspen said offensively. _Am I not a friend? How inconsiderate!_

"Sometimes keeping things in your head will only cause more problems," the Deku continued. "It's better to let them out into the light than letting them stray in darkness."

Mystia smiled, then frowned at the thoughts that were in her head.

"I know you're right, Scrubs," she said, "but some of the things that run in my head...are painful."

The Deku placed his stubby hand on hers in a comforting touch.

"You can always talk to me...whenever you're ready," he assured. "I'm a very good listener."

She smiled at him in gratitude.

"Thanks, buddy," she told him.

"You've done it once again, warrior," said a female voice.

Mystia looked up angrily. Nightus scowled down at her where she stood. The warrior stood up while still holding Scrubs in one arm and then pulling out her sword with the other.

"No thanks to your white shadow-possessed monster you provided," Mystia said, glaring at the shadow woman.

"A technicality that will not be used again," the shadow informed her regrettably.

Mystia smirked and said, "Well said. Be careful who your adversaries are. Ashasti is nothing but a stupid sham for a warlock."

"Something we both agree on for a change," Nightus replied, "but don't think this is over, warrior! I will make you regret for going against your king."

"The Dark King will never be MY king!" the deity girl responded with clear intentions. "You can go back to your "king" and tell him that he will never destroy the light as long as I am here!"

Fury appeared on Nightus' face.

"Those words will be your death wish!" the female hissed as the black fog surrounded her body and carried her away.

"That's right! Run, you evil witch!" Scrubs declared while punching his little hands out. "Nobody messes with the great and powerful Hylian Warriors! HA!"

_Oh, brother! _Caspen groaned.

Mystia giggled.

"Oh, Scrubs," she sighed.

The little Deku looked at the deity giant.

"You were great, Mystia," Scrubs said to her. "And thanks for rescuing me!"

"Well, I am going to need my brave and adventurous Deku on my journey, right?" Mystia's grinned.

Scrubs nodded. "Right!"

"AHEM!"

Mystia and Scrubs turned toward the noise. Prince Linruto was standing before them with his arms crossed and looking at them sternly. The Zora army was behind him, back to normal.

"I hate to break up the reunion party," the prince said, irritably, "but I would like to get back home, if you don't mind."

* * *

><p>Roecliff: How rude! That prince!<p>

Scrubs: YAY! I'm back! (^o^)

Oni: (O.O) Oh, no! You're back!

Izzy: HUZZAH! We have success! Poor Scrubs went through a lot in this chapter!

Oni: HIM?! What about us! _He_ was just frozen! _We_ were getting flamed!

Izzy: And now they also have rescued the prince and saved the Stone of Water.

Oni: Did she just ignore me?

Izzy: And it also seems that Mystia and Caspen have made up...or have they?

Oni: SERIOUSLY!?

Izzy: So, what will happen next? Will Mystia keep the stone? Have Mystia and Caspen really made up at this point? Find out next chapter!

Oni: Hold on! What?! I haven't...

Roecliff: R&R please!


	32. Love Like An Ocean

Izzy: We are back!

Oni: That was quick!

Izzy: This chapter's shorter than the other ones and not as excruciating!

Roecliff: That's new...

Izzy: So, Mystia has saved the Zora people from Nightus and Ashasti. The prince is safe, the Stone of Water is safe, and even Scrubs has returned!

Scrubs: I am back! YAY!

Izzy: Now, the questions are: Will Mystia keep the Stone of Water? Has she made up with Caspen? Let's find out!

Disclaimer: I have rights! No, not Zelda rights, but Declaration rights! I am a true American!

* * *

><p>They made it back to Zora's Domain through the underwater short cut Mystia had gone through before. Luckily, Scrubs was given a Zora's scale to help him breathe underwater. The soldiers filed into their places while Mystia, Scrubs, and Linruto made their way to the throne room where they knew Queen Ruto was waiting for them.<p>

They just made it to the top when the group was greeted by a loud bark. The trio spotted the Queen sitting on the high ledge and on the stair platform stood Femur and Fetch, who was happily wagging his tail. The silver, brown-eyed wolfos barked even more, which grabbed Femur's attention, who in turn noticed the small group approaching.

"Miss!" Femur exclaimed. "You're back! And you got the Prince..." He then looked down at Scrubs. "My friend! Where did you come from?"

"It's a long story," the Deku answered.

"Linruto!" the Queen shouted as she hopped down from her throne and rushed up to her son. She embraced him in a tight hug. "My son! You're safe!"

"Mother!" Linruto gasped. "You're crushing me!"

Fetch barked in delight as he bounded to Scrubs, tackling him to the ground and giving him slobbery kisses.

"Fetch!" Scrubs shouted. "Stop it! Ah!"

"Fetch, sit!" Femur commanded as he ran down the steps. "Sit boy! Sit, I say!"

Fetch obeyed, backed away from Scrubs and sat down. Scrubs sat up and wiped the wolfos' saliva off of him. He then approached Fetch and patted him on the head.

"Good to see you, too, crazy mutt," he told the wolfos with a chuckle.

Mystia grinned. She was glad to see Scrubs in a good mood again.

"Where have you been, little Deku?" Femur asked Scrubs. "I was worried about you."

"He was in the Water Temple," Mystia answered.

"Yeah!" Scrubs declared dramatically. "I was frozen...trapped...possessed by a white shadow!"

"Skull and crossbones!" the Stalfos exclaimed. "Is this true?"

"Yeah!" Scrubs answered. "And all the Zora's were possessed, too! Then, Mystia came in and rescued us!"

"Oni Mystia," the girl deity heard Ruto speak.

The giant girl turned her attention to the Queen, who was still holding the Prince within her arms.

"I want to thank you for rescuing my son and my people," she said with gratification. "It means so much to me that my people are safe."

"You're welcome, my Queen," Mystia replied with a slight bow. "It's my duty to serve Hyrule and its people."

"And you have done it very well," Ruto said gratefully. "I know that you truly have a bit of hero in you. Link would be so proud."

She looked down at Linruto. He slightly scowled in another direction.

"Is there anything you want to say to our brave warrior here?" the Queen asked her son.

The Prince gave a sigh and looked up at Mystia with embarrassment.

"Thank you for rescuing the Zora people from severe doom," he said with a hint of annoyance. "I am forever grateful for your help."

He looked down in his hands which held the Stone of Water. His focus returned to Mystia as he raised the stone to her.

"Take this in thanks," he told her.

_That didn't sound heartfelt,_ Mystia thought as she reached for the stone.

_Wait, Mystia! _Caspen said quickly. _Don't take it! It's called the Zora's _Engagement Ring_ for a reason!_

Mystia pulled her hand back quickly as she bit her lip in nervousness. She had forgotten the other name for the stone. If she had taken it from Linruto, then that would make her...

_Ew! Yuck!_ Caspen said in disgust. _Don't even think about that! Gross! Besides, being betrothed to that brat would be the last thing on my mind if I were you! _

"What is the matter, Oni Mystia?" Ruto asked. "Isn't this what you wanted?"

"Um..." Mystia said, nervously. "Yes, but...if I take it, would that make us...engaged?"

The Queen laughed.

"Oh, gracious, no!" Ruto replied. "We broke that tradition years ago. No need to worry."

_Thank Farore!_ Mystia thought with a sigh of relief before she took the stone from the Prince. It had three sapphires held together by gold metal with spikes all around it.

"Thank you, Prince," she said to Linruto. "I will take good care of it."

"As expected," Ruto confirmed.

"Two down, one to go!" Scrubs declared.

"And the last one to find is the Stone of the Forest," Femur mentioned.

"So, we should probably be on our way then," Mystia informed the Queen. "We are getting close to stopping all this mess."

"Excellent!" the Queen said. "The sooner, the better. But before you go, may I give you some advice?"

Mystia nodded.

"Love is like an ocean," the Queen told her. "It's deep and flows constantly in your heart. It shows people how much you care for them."

Mystia looked down at Scrub, who was smiling at her as only a Deku could. She looked back at the Queen.

"And no matter the storm," Ruto continued, "the waves of love will always carry you through."

"Thank you, my Queen," Mystia said. "It's definitely something to keep in mind." She then turned toward the stairs and began to descend. "Come on, guys! Let's get going!"

"Good bye, heroine!" the Zora Queen bade. "and may the goddesses of Hyrule protect you."

Mystia waved back to the Queen until she was out of sight. She looked at Femur to her right and then remembered how harsh she was to him as well. She sighed.

"Femur," she said quietly. "I...I want to apologize for my rude behavior earlier. I lashed out at you and that was wrong of me."

"Oh, never mind that, miss," Femur assured. "I knew you weren't angry at me and I've already forgiven you. It's nothing. Trust me! I've been through worse with my brother."

The girl smiled at him in gratification. "Thanks, friend."

She looked down at Fetch.

"And I'm sorry to you as well, boy," she told him.

Fetch looked at her with kind eyes and barked as if to say, "It's okay. I still love you!"

Mystia chuckled a little.

"Mystia," Scrubs piped up. "I...I still want to thank you for saving me."

Mystia looked to her left at the little Deku and smiled.

"And thank you for making me realize what was wrong," she told Scrub. "From now on, I promise to include you on any private discussion."

The Deku leaped up and grabbed Mystia by the arm.

"You're the greatest friend ever," he told her.

Mystia felt tears in her eyes as she reached for and lifted the Deku before hugging him. For some reason, she greatly cared for Scrubs. She felt so much compassion and love for him...just like an old friend.

"I try," she told him. "It's never easy, though."

"No one said that being perfect was easy," Scrubs replied.

Mystia chuckled.

"I know. It's just that...you know, I...I care about you."

_That's not what you wanted to say,_ Caspen teased. _You wanted to say "I loooove you!"_

_Cut it out!_ Msytia scolded. _I'm trying to comfort him._

"I care about you, too," Scrubs spoke. "You're still my friend to the end."

Mystia grinned.

"And you're my little brave adventurer," Mystia responded.

_You want to give him a kissy-kissy? _Caspen said with a baby-ish voice.

_Don't. Push. It, _Mystia said with irritation.

_Okay,_ Caspen said in defense._ Sorry._

The group made it to the bottom of the stairs and followed the path that led out of the Domain to Zora's River. One thing was playing in Mystia's mind during that time. If Nightus wanted the stones so badly, then why didn't she just try to take the Stone of Water when she had the chance? Ashasti had Linruto possessed at the time, so why didn't she use the opportunity to take it? It didn't make sense to her, but her guess was that Nightus had something else in motion to try and get the stones for herself. She was plotting something, but the girl had no idea what she would be up to...

"Oni Mystia!"

She turned around to the voice. Running behind them from the stairs was Prince Linruto. He caught up to them and hurriedly tried to catch his breath.

"Prince Linruto?" Mystia stated curiously. "What is it?"

"I..." the Prince started, but had a bit of trouble getting his words out. "I, uh...I just wanted to really thank you for saving my life. I really do appreciate it. I just hate saying it in the way my mother makes me."

_Now,_ _that's heartfelt,_ Mystia confirmed with a smile.

"I want to give you this one on one," the Prince continued. "Something for you to make up for my rude behavior."

He reached behind him and pulled out what looked like a violet magnifier. Mystia picked it up to examine it. It felt light in her hands and was about six inches in length. She turned it over a few times and realized that the glass was blue on one side and red on the other and an eye was planted in the center of the glass.

"I found this among my father's things," Linruto told her. "I'm not sure what it is, but hopefully you can get some use out of it."

_That looks like the Lens of Truth,_ Caspen informed. _Like the eyes of truth, it can also see the invisible._

Knowing the similarities, she wasn't sure if she could accept the gift; but, also not wanting to disappoint the Prince and his generosity, she placed the object into her magic pouch.

"That's very kind of you, Highness," she thanked. "It's a very beautiful object.

"Take good care of it," Linruto told her. "I have a strong belief it was once used by the Hero of Time himself."

"I will," Mystia promised. "Thank you again."

She turned to leave the domain.

"Will I see you again, Oni Mystia?" Linruto inquired.

Mystia turned and nodded to the Prince.

"For certain," she replied with a smile. "Until next time."

* * *

><p>Izzy: End chapter.<p>

Oni: You weren't kidding about the short chapter!

Izzy: So, Mystia _does_ keep the Stone of Water! GREAT!

Scrubs: And I'm O.K.!

Oni: Not when I'm finished with you...

Izzy: Now what will happen next? Where is the last stone? What_ is_ Nightus up to? Will Caspen ever gain back respect from Mystia?

Oni: YES! I WILL!

Izzy: Find out next chapter!

Roecliff: R&R please!


	33. Memory

Izzy: And we're back!

Oni: Good! Let's keep this pace up!

Scrubs: I want to know what happens next?!

Izzy: Mystia and the gang had just gotten their second stone and a bonus item of the lens of truth. Where will they go next? Where is the last stone? Let's find out!

Disclaimer: No Zelda claim her!

* * *

><p>As the group made their way out of Zora's River, Mystia began telling Scrubs and Femur everything she had told Caspen (only in not as great of detail). She spoke of her village and what happened there and told them of what Ruto mentioned of Link and his family. Both Deku and Stalfos agreed that Ruto's love for the Hero of Time was, in all ways, quite disturbing. They also sympathized with her grief over the loss of her home and family in Meladon. Mystia then told them of her encounter with Takaro and what he told her of his 'Uncle Ashasti'. Scrubs grew furious about the whole thing.<p>

"Why that horrible Ashasti!" he trilled. "I'm going to give that creep a piece of my mind someday! Just you watch! I'll show him!"

He tried to do a high kick, but he lost his balance in the process and fell over with a _thunk._

"We'll see," Mystia chuckled.

"I just can't believe what that warlock did to that poor boy," Femur said sadly. "Takaro is for certain not our enemy!"

_Just wait 'til he actually gets a moment with us when he can kill us!_ Caspen said.

"Was there anything else you want to tell us about?"

Mystia thought for a moment.

_Don't tell them my name,_ Caspen harped.

_I promised I wouldn't, _Mystia responded. _And you know they will find out at some point that your real name isn't Oni._

_The longer they don't know, the better,_ Caspen remarked. _And I know you won't tell them who you really are._

_Yes...the less they know, the better._ _But is there anything else?_

_Well, there's the case about your strange dreams._

_I'd rather not..._

Then, Mystia remembered something.

"There was a dream that Zelda told me," Mystia finally spoke aloud.

Scrubs looked up at her with interest. "What about?"

Mystia recited the dream to them about the two great birds that were tied down by a black rope and were set free by a strike of lightning. Then, she mentioned the two birds separating and the golden bird being attacked by the beast.

"Sounds intense," Scrubs shivered.

"Sounds prophetic," Femur said.

Both giant and Deku stopped to look at Femur.

"What?" they both said in unison.

"Well, the queen is known to have prophetic dreams," Femur informed them. "It could mean something. Let me see if I can translate the dream. One white bird and one gold bird...why, that could be you and Oni, miss. And the black rope...it's possible that represents the curse that binds you together as one. The light that strikes the rope could be the Master Sword, which you, miss, have mentioned that it was the only way to break the curse."

Femur thought some more.

"As for the rest of the dream," the Stalfos continued. "I'm not certain. It almost sounds like once you two are free, something will separate you and one of you will confront the beast and die."

Mystia's heart throbbed with fear. _Die?_ She thought. _Was that why Zelda was trying to warn me?_

_I think it's all rubbish,_ Caspen said in unbelief. _He may call himself intelligent, but that doesn't make him a prophet._

_Yes, but...but what if he's right?_

"I don't like the sound of that at all!" Scrubs told Femur. "I don't think it's true. Mystia is the best! She can kill that beast without getting a scratch!" the Deku looked at Mystia. "Right?"

Mystia only smiled, but deep down, she wasn't sure of anything. After the many nightmares she had of the beast, she almost believed Zelda's dream to be true. Was she doing this to save Hyrule or was she doing it to just to die in the end anyways? Zelda's dream didn't bother her before, but it sure did now.

_Don't let it bother you, _Caspen assured her. _It was probably meant to scare you from doing all this in the first place. She was only worried about you._

The young female wanted to believe him, but she couldn't help but see the beast that haunted her dreams, hovering over her like a predator that caught its prey. The more she thought on it, the more nervous she became.

The group finally found their way back to Hyrule Field. Mystia noticed a great improvement in the area. The clouds appeared to be clearing; and the sun swiftly crept through the big, blue sky like a bird in flight. She knew from the bitter chill she felt that the season had changed to fall again. She wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed them to keep warm.

"Brr!" Scrubs rattled. "It's cold already!"

"Winter's going to set in by the time this is all over," Mystia guessed. "Which way now?"

"The queen mentioned that the Stone of the Forest was stolen," Femur informed, "and that her suspicions were that it was taken to the Gerudo Fortress."

"Then that's where we will start our search," the girl nodded. "Where is it?"

"It's over that hill, past where the ranch once stood."

"Ranch?" Scrubs inquired.

"That was once the home of Link and Malon," Femur confirmed.

Mystia's heart jumped. The home of the Hero of Time? Now this interested her.

"Can we take a look at the place first?" Mystia asked.

Femur looked at her, cocking his eye in curiosity. "Whatever for, miss?"

"I'm just wondering what it was like there," Mystia told him. "Just a quick look."

Femur looked at Scrubs, who shrugged his little shoulders. The stalfos looked back up to the deity.

"That's up to you, miss," Femur replied.

Mystia's horse, Starfire, stood by the banks of the river. The deity approached the horse and patted her neck.

"Good to see you, girl," Mystia told the friendly beast.

Starfire nudged the girl's cheek in reply to her greeting.

Scrubs clambered onto Fetch and Mystia, with Femur right behind her, climbed onto the chestnut mare. She kicked her heels and both horse and wolfos took off toward the west.

Sunset arrived by the time they made it to the top of the hill. Before them lay the grounds of what looked like a haunted corral. Some of the structure still stood, though it was a skeleton shell of the place. Everything was blackened with soot. Ashes, broken pieces of wood and crumbled stones lay around in heaps.

Mystia hopped off of Starfire and a small cloud of ashes stirred up where she landed. She slowly walked through the debris. As she looked around, she felt something deep in her heart. Was it sorrow? Shock? Confusion? Trouble? Fear? She couldn't think of what it was. Somehow, she felt...as if she had been here before. Like a piece of her past still hovering over her.

She spotted something among the debris. Carefully, she approached the spot, and then crouched down to pick it up. It looked like a music note. A quarter note. She somehow knew she had seen it before!

_There was more than one, though,_ Mystia thought. _They were above me. Spinning. A song...someone was singing...no, humming..._

She began to hear the humming. The humming she always heard from the same woman. That hum...it was playing Starfire's song. Tears swelled in her white eyes, but she didn't know why. Her leaping heart fell to a throb as she felt pain inside.

_What's wrong with me? _She pondered. _Why do I feel this way? I don't even know what I'm crying for! I've never been here...or have I?_

"Is everything alright, Miss Deity?" Femur asked worriedly.

Mystia wanted to talk, but her voice felt dry and rocky. She stood up, still holding the music note in her hand. She continued to look around. She touched a beam nearby her and more tears fell.

"I...I'm not...I'm not sure!," she finally replied. "It's just...this place...it feels so...familiar. I'm not sure why. Almost like...a long lost memory...trying to awaken."

"Well, didn't you tell us that your village was burnt down?" Scrubs asked. "Maybe this place is bringing back those memories."

"No," Mystia said, turning to the Deku. "This feeling's different."

She looked down at the quarter note.

"It feels like...like I lost something here a long time ago," she said lowly. "Something dear to me. Taken by...by something...something dark. A familiar evil. But what, I don't have a clue. All I remember was...was being...scared..."

Suddenly, a whisper was heard in her head. It was a deep, dark voice, unlike Caspen's. It sent shivers up her spine. It struck her heart with fear:

_How unfortunate that your own life would come to this! Your own little world crumbling before your very eyes! And you are only so innocent to everything around you. It's a shame..._

"UNCLE FEMUR!"

Startled by the shout, she quickly looked back to it.

Femur's nephew, Cal, and the twins, Carpa and Tunel, appeared out of the ground, looking anxious about something.

"Uncle Femur! Uncle Femur!" the twins shouted.

"Hold on! Calm down!" Femur said to them. "What is the trouble?"

"Uncle Femur, it's father!" Cal responded. "The bad Stalfos soldiers came and took him. They said he had to be re...re.."

"Recruited?" Mystia suggested.

"Yeah!" Cal jumped. "That they had to do that to him!"

"Didn't you say that your brother was a pacifist, too?" Mystia asked Femur.

"Yes," he replied, "but unlike me, he can be forced to battle whether he likes it or not."

"Cal," Mystia said to the white-boned stalchild, "do you know where they've taken your father?"

"We heard them say 'Gerudo Valley'," the twins replied.

"They might have taken him to the fortress there," Cal told Mystia. "That's where all the Stalfos go to get recreeted."

"Recruited," Scrubs corrected.

_We were heading that direction anyway,_ Caspen reminded Mystia. _Might as well, right? As if we hadn't done enough of that._

"Guys!" Mystia declared, "let's go to Gerudo Valley!"

"No!" Cal shouted. "Don't go there!"

"We have to go there, anyway," Femur informed them. "We have to get the last stone."

"And I thought you came to us because you wanted us to rescue your father. I don't understand," Mystia said in confusion.

"We do want our father to be rescued," the twins confirmed, though they were shaking with fear. "But you can't go because of….because of…_him_."

"Who?" Scrubs asked. He could tell that the twins weren't talking about their father just now.

"The creature," Cal trembled. "The one that Arthie mentioned...human, but not human."

_Gometh!_ Caspen muttered.

_Well, better get rid of him while he's there,_ Mystia thought.

"We won't worry about that now," Mystia told Cal. "We have to help your father."

Mystia rushed up to Starfire and quickly climbed on. As Femur and Scrubs also mounted, Mystia looked down at Cal.

"Everything will be okay, Cal," she assured the small stalchild. "We'll find your father."

"Promise?" he said, worried.

Mystia gave him a stern, determined look. "That's a promise."

* * *

><p>Izzy: AH! So close!<p>

Oni: Will she EVER find out!?

Scrubs: Who was she remembering?

Izzy: An excellent question, Scrubs! Who was it that she was remembering? And what will happen to the Stalchildren's father? And will Mystia meet Gometh again?

Oni: Don't even say it! We will find out next chapter!

Roecliff: R&R please.

Oni: That pony sounds very repetitive...

Roecliff: RRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRR!

Oni: (sarcastically) Oooo... I'm scared...

Izzy: Oi! Catch you readers later...


	34. Stalfos in Training

Izzy: Hey everyone! Time for the next chapter! And I want to take this time to thank you for all your reviews! Especially one called Ashlee S.! You rock!

Oni: She doesn't scare me...

Izzy: (whispering to Ashlee S.) Yes, he is. He just doesn't want to admit it...

Oni: HEY!

Izzy: Summary time! Femur's brother is in trouble and the stalchildren called on Mystia to help him out! Not only that, but Gometh is back and is within the Gerudo Fortress. What will happen there? And what of the memories of Mystia? What is she remembering? Let's continue, shall we?

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda, but I do have my very own copy of Zelda Hyrule Historia! Happy Birthday to MEEEEEEEEEEEEE...

* * *

><p>The travelers quickly rode toward the west. The moon flew across the sky and Mystia's skin was covered in goose bumps from the icy cold wind that blew. She knew for certain winter was upon them. It was like time was going faster than she remembered. She even glanced at the clock she had. It was going ten seconds faster than before.<p>

_We're losing time,_ she thought.

The moon was halfway up the sky when the trio approached the entrance to the valley. They crossed a wooden plank and slowed their rides to a halt. Mystia and Femur dismounted off of Starfire and the deity looked around.

There was a bridge that was strapped across the gorge. Rushing water was heard from below. From a distance, they spotted a tent with light flooding the inside.

"That's a random place to have a tent," Mystia thought aloud.

"Come on, then!" shouted a voice from across the gorge.

The tent shifted as four Stalfos exited.

Speedily, Mystia hid behind one of the bridge posts and peeked around. The others followed suit and glanced around. Mystia looked behind to see them and place a finger over her mouth, signaling them to keep quiet. She looked back at the moving Stalfos. Two of them carried one while the fourth held two swords and two shields.

"That's him!" Femur whispered, pointing at the Stalfos being held down. "Carty!"

"How can you tell who is who?" Scrubs asked.

"When you're a Stalfos, you can always tell who is who...unless you're a pair of twins."

"Like Carpa and Tunel?" Scrubs guessed.

"Oh, no, we can always tell them apart. One's a boy and the other's a girl. It would be too hard to mix them up..."

"Shhh!" Mystia hushed harshly. "I'm trying to listen."

The two Stalfos holding Carty released him and the apparent leader gave him the extra sword and shield.

"Now, get into your fighting stance," the lead Stalfos instructed while holding out his weapon to Carty.

"You're holding the sword wrong, General," one Stalfos commented.

"Shut up, Private!" the General commanded. "Who's doing the training here?"

The lead Stalfos turned his attention back to Carty. "Come on! Fight stance!"

The General charged with his blade, but Carty dropped his weapon and ducked, tripping the General in the process. The Stalfos fell on his face, breaking his jaw off. Angrily, he stood up, picked up his jaw, and popped it back into place. He then turned to Carty and jabbed the sword at the frightened Stalfos' neck.

"What's the matter with you?!" he shouted. "You're shaking like a leaf! What are you? Cucco?"

"N..no, sir," Carty answered with the same British accent as Femur. "I'm... I don't like fighting!"

The General placed his hand on his head and shook it with a growling sigh.

"You're a Fracture!" he grumbled.

"You mean those peace-loving, non-violent people?" the Private asked.

"A pacifist, you dummy!" said the second Stalfos while he smacked the first Stalfos in the head, making it spin once.

"Oh, I knew that, Henson," said Private.

The General zoomed into Carty's face.

"Now, look here, Fracture!" he said harshly. "I don't care if you're a pacifist! You're going to fight in this war against them Hylian warriors! If you don't, then you are the enemy and will be beheaded!"

"Uh, sir?" Private squeaked. "I don't think that will work."

"Yeah," Henson agreed. "Even if we can make him fall apart, we couldn't kill him."

"SILENCE!" the General shouted at the two. "Of course, we can! Every Stalfos has a weak spot!"

_What are you going to do?_ Caspen asked.

_I'm thinking, I'm thinking,_ Mystia replied.

"Fetch! Cut it out!" Femur hissed. "It's not playtime!"

Mystia looked down at Fetch who was gnawing at Femur's leg bone. Then, a bright idea crossed her mind.

"Femur," she said, "can I borrow one of your bones?"

The Stalfos looked at Mystia in confusion.

"What?" he said. "What for?"

"Trust me on this one," she assured him while holding out her hand.

Femur reached for a rib bone and yanked it out with a snap and a grunt. He placed it in Mystia's hand and the deity held up the bone to Fetch.

"Wanna play?" she asked the wolfos with a baby-ish tone while dangling the rib high in the air.

Fetch panted harder, leaped from side to side, and landed in a pouncing pose.

"You want it? You want it?" Mystia toyed. A sly smile crept as she swung her arm. "FETCH!"

She threw the rib bone toward the Stalfos group.

The General was arguing with Private and Henson when the bone landed on his head and bounced into his hand. He looked at it curiously.

"Who threw this bone at me!?" he shouted.

Fetch responded to the toss. He darted across the bridge with a yelp. As Mystia hoped, Fetch leaped after the rib bone...and the Stalfos holding it.

"AH!" the General cried.

Fetch began to tear apart the Stalfos with his efforts to actually reach for the bone.

"Fetchy!" Carty exclaimed.

"Who?" Private asked.

"I don't CARE who!" the General shouted. "Get this mangy mutt off of me!"

The guards tried to reach for the wolfos, but Mystia had already made it across the bridge and slashed both of them in one swoop. The bones of the two soldiers blew up into purple smoke.

"Who are you?!" the General demanded.

Mystia held out her sword to the pile of bones with a wicked smile.

"Your worst nightmare," she replied.

"Brother!" Femur shouted.

"Femur?" Carty questioned as his Stalfos brother embraced him in a hug. "What are you doing here? I thought you left town!"

"Well, I did," Femur confessed as he backed away, "but I came back to help Miss Deity on her quest to find the stones."

"Really?" Carty said with interest. "But...don't you have a bit of a problem? Like your...phobia?"

"Oh, no!" Femur assured him with a wave of his hand. "I may have a hammer, but I avoid as much conflict as I can."

_Unless he gets hit with a pointy object,_ Caspen mentioned with a chuckle.

"Put me back together at once!" the General called out, "or I'll skin you all alive!"

"We don't have skin," both Fracture brothers replied.

"Neither do I," Scrubs piped as he knocked on his wooden head.

Mystia looked down at Fetch and rubbed his head.

"Okay, Fetch!" she said to the Wolfos. "Now, can you do something for me? Can you throw this mess into the gorge?"

Fetch barked in response and padded over to the General's pile of bones.

"Mess!" the General replied. "I am not a mess!"

Fetch picked up the skull from the back and trotted over to the edge of the gorge.

"Wait! Put me down! Unhand...er...mouth me! I...AAAAAAAaaaaaaaahhhhhhh..."

Fetch had dropped the skull into the rushing water below. He barked a couple of times in satisfaction and pranced back to Mystia.

"Good boy!" the girl said with a congratulatory pat on the wolfos' head.

"Found it!" Femur announced as he picked up his rib bone. He placed it back where he got it with a pop.

Fetch leaped toward Femur and grabbed his leg bone in attempt to pull it out.

"No! Fetch! Bad boy!" Femur shouted. "Let go, you mangy mutt!"

"Miss Deity," Carty spoke, "the children have spoken of you. It's a pleasure to meet you in person." He extended his hand out to her.

Mystia took it gladly. Unlike the other Stalfos' hands, the bones of this one were slightly softer. She carefully shook it.

"Nice to meet you as well, sir," she said with a smile.

"DADDY!" shouted many small voices.

Right behind the group, all five stalchildren ran toward them and right at Carty.

"Kids!" Carty said in response.

The kids tackled him down to the ground.

Mystia laughed at the sight.

"We're so glad you're okay!" Cal exclaimed.

"Yes! Very glad!" the twins agreed.

"I'm glad to see you," Harlin said. "Did you break any bones?"

"No, son," Carty answered. "I'm alright."

_Okay!_ Caspen said. _That's enough Stalfos for me! Why don't we get going so we can find that stone?_

_Oh, Caspen,_ Mystia said as she shook her head with a smile.

"We better get going," she announced. "We have business to get to."

"Stone searching?" Carty inquired.

Mystia nodded.

"Very well, then," the soft-boned Stalfos said. "Children! Let's go home! Your mother is probably wondering where you're at! Catch you later, brother!"

"Take care, Carty!" Femur saluted.

But just as the family turned to leave, Cal turned back around and ran to Mystia to embrace her in a hug.

"Thank you, Miss Deity," he said softly. "You're my hero!"

Touched by his words, Mystia returned the hug. "You're welcome."

Cal released her to look up. He gave a goofy, innocent grin and waved goodbye as he disappeared into the ground.

Just then, the cucco crowed to signal the morning and Mystia looked up. Dark clouds loomed over the desert. She looked toward Gerudo Fortress in its color-drained appearance. If the Fracture children were right, getting past the white shadows will be a pain.

"Let's get started," Mystia said loud enough for the other travelers to hear.

As she began to track to the desert, she thought she had seen a snowflake fall to the ground.

* * *

><p>Izzy: And out of the chapter we go!<p>

Oni: Still not afraid of her...

Roecliff: You hold your teddy bear at night.

Oni: You're one to talk, pony!

Roecliff: I AM NOT A PONY!

Izzy: Okay! People! Onward! Anyway, Femur's brother is saved and the Stalfos family are very grateful! Now, our travelers are about to encounter the Gerudo Fortress. What will they find there? Will they encounter Gometh? Find out next chapter!

Roecliff: R&R please! Authoress really likes it!

Oni: Pony boy...

Roecliff: HEY!

Izzy: T-T Oie!


	35. The Return of Gometh

Izzy: Back again!

Oni: Kill Gometh! Kill him!

*mob outside chanting with Oni*

Izzy: Oni! What's this all about!?

Oni: I'm bringing in a mob that will help me kill Gometh!

Scrubs: *sarcastically* But I thought you were a deity! You didn't neeeeeed anybody!

Oni: Nooooooooo. This is like a rally! *shouts at mob* WHO WANTS GOMETH DEAD!

Mob: WE DO! WE DO! KILL GOMETH! KILL GOMETH!

Izzy: UGH! Anyway, yes, Mystia had just entered the Gerudo Fortress where Gometh...

Mob: KILL HIM!

Izzy: ...lies. Will she encounter him?

Oni: OH YES SHE WILL! SHE WILL KILL HIM!

Mob: KILL HIM! KILL HIM!

Izzy: Come on, people! It's just a story! Oi! Go on, readers. Read before I go crazy!

Disclaimer: Hyrule Historia is an awesome book! Definite recommend!

Roecliff: She also doesn't own Zelda.

Izzy: (T-T) Really Roecliff?

* * *

><p>Gerudo Fortress was on top of a hill of sand and dirt. One could take the stairs that was carved into the rocky wall protecting the fortress or continue up the sandy pathway that paralleled the rocky barricade to its end and wound back to the fortress at the top. Mystia chose the path and carefully peeked over the far edge of the rocky wall.<p>

The fortress was made up of a series of small stone buildings stacked on top of each other, all square in shape. Flags and banners hung low and still. To the left of the fortress was a large gate leading out to what looked like the sand dunes. To the left of that was another path to parts unknown.

Suddenly, however, she noticed movement down the pathway….and then from the corner of her eye she saw some sand shifted oddly near the large gate. She turned her head back to that phenomenon, only to see some…things beginning to ooze out of the sand!

She frantically glanced back at the pathway to the left of the large gate and even more indistinguishable things were phasing out of thin air and onto the path! She turned quickly to her far right and noticed that the air nearest the ground in front of the fortress was undulating, as if a mirage had suddenly appeared.

But in the next few movements as she quickly scanned the 180 degrees in front of her, all of those things began to form!

Monsters of all sorts finally and fully appeared. There were moblins, stalfos, keese, and floating skulls; spiders with skull masks, wolfos, and familiar dog- headed bulokoblins; and finally, there were regular spiders, and poes. Mystia's vision changed and she even saw double the white shadows.

"Guys?" Mystia asked with a whisper. "Have you ever wanted to see what a white shadow looks like?"

"I have been curious," Femur answered.

"I'm afraid to find out," Scrubs replied with a tremble.

Mystia pulled out the lens of truth from her pouch. She handed it to Femur.

"Now's your chance," she told him.

Femur took it and looked through the lens.

"By my phalanges!" he whispered in amazement. "So that's what they look like!"

"Let me see," Scrubs insisted.

Femur handed the artifact to the little Deku. When he looked through it, he jumped.

"Wha!" he squeaked. "Tree sap! They look creepier than I thought!"

"Shh!" Mystia hushed. "We don't want them to notice we're here."

"So, what's the plan of action?" Femur asked.

Mystia studied the area carefully. Every inch of the place had monsters.

"I'm not sure," she said. "It's like 'Monster Central' here. There's no way of getting past them without getting noticed."

"Well, Femur and Fetch are monsters, right?" Scrubs mentioned. "They could get past with no problem!"

"Yeah, but what about us?" Mystia mentioned.

"Well, Scrubs could be considered a monster," Femur informed. "He is a Deku Scrub."

"That doesn't make me a monster!" Scrubs shouted.

"SHHHH!" Mystia hissed.

But it was too late. The monsters already heard the noise and looked toward them.

_Way to go, Deku boy!_ Caspen growled.

"Run!" Mystia said quickly and all the travelers ran toward Gerudo Valley.

The monsters chased after them. As they got closer to their exit, Mystia stopped. White shadows blocked the way out.

"Guys! This way!" she commanded and ran up the stairs.

She pulled out her sword and started slashing the monsters before her. Scrubs and Femur stayed close behind, so as to avoid making contact with all the swings and blows of the deity's weapons. Fetch attacked the bigger monsters to give Mystia momentum to kill them. The group made it to the top of the stairs and was about to run into the fortress. But suddenly, more monsters flew out of the doors of the fortress. Mystia looked behind her and all around her until she came to terms that they were surrounded.

"Scrubs! Femur! Back-to-back!" she shouted.

The group listened and looked around them. The monsters were closing in. Through the eyes of truth, even the white shadows looked amused and ready to pounce.

_Caspen! What should we do?_ Mystia pleaded.

_At this point...I don't know._

"Hey, look! It's Mr. Funny Bones!" shouted a Stalfos.

Femur chuckled nervously.

"Heh heh! Yeah," he said. "That's me!"

The other Stalfos began to laugh. Mystia noticed then that the white shadows took interest in Femur.

"How are you? Rattling?" the first Stalfos joked while laughing some more.

"That's...humorous!" another Stalfos chimed.

_And I thought the smart Stalfos' jokes were bad,_ Caspen spoke with a groan.

_There's a reason why Femur's the smart one,_ Mystia reminded.

"Heh, good one," Femur replied, still shaking.

"You look sharp," said another Stalfos. "Is it your...shoulder blades?" He laughed louder than the other Stalfos.

_Okay! I'm sorry,_ Caspen spoke, _but that was really bad!_

_No, that's really bad,_ Mystia informed him.

She was still paying attention to the monsters around them. The white shadows had given up on Femur and shifted their focus on her.

_Oh...that _is_ really bad,_ Caspen replied in realization.

"What now, Mystia?" Scrubs whispered, clinging tighter to her leg.

"What a Fracture!" the first Stalfos said. "You really...crack me up!"

Another laugh was heard, but not from the Stalfos or the monsters that surrounded them. Everyone became quiet.

_I know that laugh,_ Caspen said angrily.

Mystia knew it as well and looked around for it.

"Hey, wait a minute!" called out a moblin. "Isn't that the deity kid?"

All the monsters gasped in surprise and backed away from the group in the middle. Even the white shadows backed off in fear.

Mystia then noticed from the corner of her eye a black mass forming on the ground.

"Scrubs, Femur! Get behind me!" she shouted.

Quickly, the Deku and the Stalfos did. Fetch growled as the mass continued to form.

_Okay, Caspen,_ Mystia said, breathing slowly to ease her racing heart. _How do I kill this thing?_

_There will be keese that surround him,_ Caspen instructed her. _You have to get them away from Gometh __in order to get at the orb. Then, catch him off guard by throwing a Deku nut at him and strike the orb as hard as you can. You have to shatter the orb in order to kill him._

As Caspen spoke, the black mass transformed into the human-like creature. Its yellow, cat-like eyes appeared along with its razor sharp teeth. The red orb appeared on its chest. It raised its arms and the deadly scythe appeared in its hands as keese surrounding the group swarmed to it like a magnet.

_And whatever you do...don't. look. into. the orb._

"Scrubs," Mystia whispered to the Deku without taking her eyes off of Gometh. "I need you to fire some nuts for me when I tell you to."

"You got it," he trembled.

"Femur," she said to the Stalfos. "Use the lens of truth to keep an eye out for the white shadows."

"Yes, Miss Deity," he replied.

Gometh smiled with glee.

Mystia took a step forward and sarcastically smiled back.

"Hello again, Gometh!" she said to the monster.

Gometh gave a raspy chuckle.

"Same to you, deity," he answered.

_You never told me he could talk!_ Mystia said to Caspen in surprise.

_He didn't need to then!_ The deity boy replied.

"I know you've been trying to hunt me down, Oni," the creature spoke. "After all that I did for you and this is how I get treated?"

_He thinks that he's talking to you,_ Mystia told Caspen.

_I know he is! _Caspen exclaimed in frustration._ All that you did?! You took away what was mine! _

"We did make a deal and a deal's a deal!" Gometh continued.

_Deal!? _Caspen shouted. _You broke that deal, you creep! You deserve to die!_

"I did rightfully claim what was mine and you had no business trying to take what is mine," the dark mass informed Mystia.

_What I want to take is your life!_ Caspen growled.

"Besides, why does it matter?" Gometh grinned. "It's not like you wanted him anyway..."

_SHUT UP! SHUT UP! _Caspen screamed in fury._ GOHT! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!_

_Caspen!_ Mystia shouted. _You're hurting my head!_

_Kill him now, Mystia! Kill him now! _The deity within her demanded.

"I did you a favor, kid," Gometh continued. "Now you won't leave my life in peace, so..." The creature swung his scythe. "DIE, DEITY!"

_I'm moving on this one!_ Mystia thought.

She dropped to the ground as Gometh swung his scythe at her. Unknown to her, Femur was right behind her as the weapon decapitated his head. Mystia felt the air change as Femur's body approached and searched for the skull.

"Scrubs," Mystia said with wide eyes. "Whatever you do, stay away from Femur."

"Why?" Scrubs asked.

Femur placed his skull back on, turned his head in place and popped it from side-to-side. The Stalfos pulled out his large hammer and turned quickly. His eyes were wild with fire.

"HAMMER TIME!" he shouted in his deep, growling voice.

"I see what you MEAAAANNN!" Scrubs squealed as he ran away.

Femur began to pound at the monsters that were nearby. Each creature screamed, howled, or wailed as they ran from the pacifist-Stalfos' sudden madness. Even the other Stalfos that were laughing before took off crying.

Mystia stood up quickly with her sword close to her and kept her focus on Gometh who laughed before charging at her.

This time, the deity was ready. She held up her sword to where the scythe was aiming. Both blades clashed into each other with a sharp ringing sound. Gometh was taken aback by this and angrily struck again. Mystia blocked the blow and, with a mischievous grin on her face, quickly pulled out a Deku nut.

"Hungry?" she asked, straining from the force the creature was using with his scythe. "Have a snack!"

Mystia threw the nut down and a white light flashed before them. Gometh's eyes rolled upward and the creature stood in place like a statue. The keese took off from its body and attacked Mystia.

"Din!" she shouted. "They're everywhere!"

The deity girl swung her blade to kill the keese. There were still a few left when she felt something shove her to the ground. Her hand unwittingly released the Double Helix, which flew a few feet away from her and landed in the sand. Mystia tried to get up, but the creature's weapon came into her view. She quickly closed her eyes to avoid looking into the orb.

BAM!

Mystia looked up to see Femur slam his hammer into Gometh's side, which sent the monster flying into the sand. The girl noticed that the Stalfos was raising his hammer to crush her next. She rolled out of the way before it made impact.

"Sorry, Femur," she said to him.

She ran and grabbed her sword and charged toward Gometh, who was still lying on its back in the sand. As she ran, she clutched the hilt of the sword with both hands and pointed its blade toward the ground. Then in one swift and powerful movement, she swung her arms upward and jumped high into the air before she landed on top of the dark creature and plunged her sword down. The weapon went through the orb, shattering it into pieces.

Gometh screamed his high pitched wail.

What happened next appeared strange to the deity warrior. She swore she was seeing dead spirits fly from the orb. Many more wails were heard.

_Caspen? What are they?_ The girl asked the boy.

_Victims of Gometh,_ Caspen replied with a sigh. _They were once people that had looked into the orb and their spirits became trapped within...Goddess' Clock!_

When Caspen said those last words, they were seeing a spirit of a small boy. It had short black hair and green eyes and had a look of sadness on his face. In his hands was a heart-shaped mask painted with wild colors and spikes all around the edges. A pair of redish-yellow eyes was also painted to give the mask a creepy look. Mystia could sense Caspen's tension and pain as she watched the boy disappear from sight.

_Caspen?_ She asked, worried.

_It's...it's my...my brother..._Caspen trembled as if he was about to cry.

The girl felt sad, but confused at the same time. She looked to where Gometh was. The monster's body faded out of existence.

_But...but I thought your brother was evil..._ Mystia mentioned.

_No...The mask was evil,_ Caspen corrected her.

Now even more confused than before, Mystia replied, _Then…_

_I'll explain._ Caspen sighed and sniffed a bit. _When I was fighting Majora, I asked Gometh to take away what made Majora evil. But instead, the back-stabbing creep took Majora's real self and left behind his insanity. That was the evil brother I trapped in the mask. My real brother...was taken away from me._

_Gometh took what meant the most to you,_ Mystia confirmed. _He stole from you what was left..._

_Yes,_ he replied, angrily._ I wanted my revenge to kill Gometh and free my brother from his horrid prison. If anyone was to blame for what happened to him, it was Gometh..._his anger subsided to sadness..._and me. I should have never trusted that monster in the first place! I just wanted my brother back!_

Tears swelled in Mystia's eyes from the hurt she felt for Caspen. She could feel the pain rushing from him to her heart. For something to happen to Caspen like what Gometh did was terrible! She couldn't imagine losing a sibling to such a horrid creature.

_Caspen..._ Mystia said in pity._ I'm so sorry..._

_Don't feel sorry for me,_ Caspen told her solemnly. _I don't deserve pity. It was my fault!_

_In the end, you did the right thing,_ Mystia assured. _You set your brother free. That's the best thing you could ever do for him. He would be as proud of you as I am._

She almost could feel a smile from Caspen.

_Thanks, Melody,_ he said to her.

"Mystia, why are you crying?" she heard Scrubs ask.

Mystia wiped away her tears and looked down at the Deku next to her.

"There were dead spirits that had flown from Gometh's orb," she told him. "One of them was Oni's brother."

"Oni has a brother?" Scrubs asked as he cocked his head.

"Had," she corrected him. "He meant a lot to Oni. He lost him to Gometh years ago and wanted revenge and to kill him because of it."

"That does sound sad," the little Deku sadly said as he lowered his head.

"What happened?!" Femur cried.

Mystia looked up at the Stalfos, who was back to his normal, intelligent, British-speaking self. His eyes were wide in shock and confusion.

Looking ill, he stammered, "I...I did it again...didn't I?" he asked looking ill.

"Yes, Femur," Mystia confirmed.

The Stalfos looked away and turned green.

"I have to quit getting near people with blades!" he stated.

"WHO'S THERE!?" shouted a female voice.

Trying to find the owner of the voice, Mystia looked around.

"UP HERE!" the voice shouted again.

Mystia looked up to the mud houses and spotted something toward the top of the building. It looked like a red cloth on a stick waving from a barred window.

"Can you help me!?" the voice shouted again.

"Wait here, guys," Mystia told her companions.

She pulled out her hookshot, aimed it for a wooden board above the window, and fired. The hook's blade latched on the board and pulled her up to it. The deity looked through the bars and spotted a female with long, red hair and orange eyes. She had a dark tan and her clothes looked fitted for desert life with a short red tank top and red balloon pants. She wore elbow-length, fingerless gloves and a red veil across her nose and lips.

"How can I help you?" the girl asked the strange female.

"There's a hole on top of this cell," the woman informed. "If you can lift it off, I can get out easily."

"Got it!" Mystia said to her.

The giant jumped and grabbed the ledge above her and pulled herself up. She found a wooden board being held down by a large statue of a pig with horns. She pushed it out of the way and lifted the board and saw a hole like the woman described.

A flash of red shot out from the hole and landed before her with a gentle thud. The female brushed herself off and looked at Mystia.

"Interesting," the woman spoke. "A giant female warrior." The female placed her fist on her chest and bowed slightly. "I am Natasha, second-in-command of the Gerudo tribe. And you are?"

"I am Oni Mystia," the deity replied. "I serve for Queen Zelda of Hyrule."

"Any friend of the queen is welcome here," Natasha said. "Welcome to Gerudo Fortress! Come! There are others in this place that are imprisoned here. We must release them immediately!"

* * *

><p>Izzy: Whew! Finally, it's over.<p>

Mob: HUZZAH! GOMETH IS DEAD!

Oni: YESSSSSSSSS...

Izzy: ONI! GET RID OF THIS MOB!

Oni: But-

Izzy: NOW!

Oni: *grumbles* Shoo, mob! Shoo! Party pooper wants you to go away! Shoo!

Izzy: Now! Where was I? Oh yeah! Gometh is defeated and Gerudo Fortress is clear of all monsters. Not only that, but Mystia also rescued the Gerudos from their imprisonment.

Scrubs: And you got to see some action from Femur!

Femur: I don't like action...

Izzy: What will Mystia do next? Find out next chapter.

Roecliff: R&R please!


	36. A Journey Through The Wastelands

Izzy: Allo People! Time for the next chapter!

Oni: What took so long?

Roecliff: Yeah! You were posting chapters every other day!

Izzy: I had to look back at old chapters to assure myself that I didn't make any contradicting information in my newer chapters.

Oni: Just get on with it! No one cares about Authoress Reviews!

Izzy: My beta might...SUMMARY! Gometh is defeated-

Oni: YEAH!

Izzy: ...and Gerudo Fortress is saved from the white shadows and monsters!

Everyone: Huzzah!

Izzy: Now, Mystia encounters Natasha who is about to explain what happened. Let's take a look!

Disclaimer: No Zelda here! Only OC ownership.

* * *

><p>Together, Mystia and Natasha released all the Gerudo guards and servants. Each guard had the same skin tone, hair and eyes as Natasha. The guards also dressed similarly to Natasha, only that their outfits and the veils in front of their faces were purple. The servants, however, had short red hair and wore white vests over red, bra-like tank tops and white pants.<p>

Mystia introduced her company to Natasha to make sure there was no trouble between her party and the Gerudo females. Then, the commander brought them to one of the houses where tables were set up with refreshments: apples, bread, nuts, cucco, and water. The group ate contently, except Femur, who was a Stalfos which would have no organs, and Natasha filled them in on what happened in the fortress.

"Everything was fine until a man who called himself Ashasti showed up and made a mess of everything" the commander informed. "He brought monsters into the desert and imprisoned all of us into our own cells. He then demanded that all of us join the Dark King or else, but I told him no. We would never serve a man like him. So, he left us in our prisons and commanded the monsters to keep a watch over the fortress. For months, we were trapped in the cells and heard the commotions of people and monsters every once in a while."

The Gerudo female sighed in relief. "If it wasn't for you and your companions' showing up, we would have died for sure. I certainly owe you one."

"Don't worry about it," Mystia said. "We were just traveling through here, anyway. It was the least we can do."

"What was it that brought you here?" Natasha inquired.

"The Stone of the Forest," the deity replied. "The queen mentioned that it might have been brought here a while back."

"The Stone of the Forest," the Gerudo pondered. "I know I've heard it before...Oh, yes! Nabooru spoke of it the last time I saw her. No one knew what happened to it; however, I heard rumor a couple weeks ago that it was taken to the Spirit Temple. Don't know who said it."

"Where is the Spirit Temple?" Scrubs asked.

"It's across the Haunted Wastelands in the Desert Colossus," Natasha answered, "But it's far too dangerous to cross the Wastelands. Not too many survive it."

"Why?" Mystia asked curiously.

"There are two trials in the Haunted Wastelands," the dark-skinned woman informed the deity. "One: The River of Sand. You have to cross a river made of sand and follow the flags. Two: The Phantom Guide. There will be an invisible creature who will take you the rest of the way. You have to pass both trials in order to reach the Desert Colossus. I wouldn't suggest going there unless you want to die."

"I don't like this idea," Scrubs shivered.

"Who does?" Femur spoke. "No one wants to die."

_You're one to talk,_ Caspen commented aloud to Femur's remark.

"We have to get there to find the stone," Mystia told Natasha.

"Are you certain you want to do this?" the commander asked worriedly.

"We have a mission to carry out," Mystia replied boldly. "The queen is depending on us to get that stone. Now, which way to the Wastelands?"

"Very well," the Gerudo sighed. "It's just outside to the right. There's a gate there that we have to open for you."

Right before the travelers reached the gates to the Haunted Wastelands, Natasha had it opened for them so they could enter in. Mystia saw the vast expanse of the desert and how far it stretched out before them.

"From here, you must go by foot," the commander mentioned. "No horse can cross the River of Sand without it drowning." She looked down at Fetch. "Not even a Wolfos can make it without its fate being doomed."

Poor Fetch whined sadly and inched closer to Scrubs.

"Maybe it's a good idea for you to stay here," Mystia told the Wolfos while patting his head. "That way, you'll be safe."

Fetch whimpered again, but sat down in agreement. Scrubs rubbed the Wolfos' back in reassurance.

"Don't worry, Fetch, old boy," the Deku said in his squeaky voice. "We'll be back! We are warriors! We can overcome anything!"

_His confidence is overwhelming,_ Caspen groaned incredulously.

"Before you go," Natasha spoke to Mystia, "I want to give you something."

The Gerudo handed the deity a metal claw slightly bigger than her hand.

"This was once a grappling hook used to get to out of reach places," the commander told the girl. "We never had a chance to attach a rope, but hopefully it will become useful."

"Thank you, Natasha," Mystia said with a nod. "I'm sure it will come to good use."

Natasha laid a hand on the giant's shoulder.

"Please be careful out there," she cautioned. "The last thing Hyrule needs is another missing hero."

Mystia grinned at the Gerudo.

"We'll be back," the deity told her.

She turned her gaze to the desert and began her journey into the Wastelands.

All around her, billows of sands blew before her and harshly impeded her vision. She could barely see fifteen feet ahead of her.

"Sap!" Scrubs shouted. "Too much sand!"

"It's really blowing!" Femur shouted over the howling winds. "It's like someone really doesn't want us treading through here."

"Looks like whoever it is has to deal with it," Mystia replied. "We're coming whether they like it or not!"

Shielding her eyes with her arm, she pushed through the gusts of wind and sand.

"Miss Deity! Stop!" Femur called out quickly.

She stopped and looked down. Before her feet was liquid, flowing sand. One more step and she would have been in trouble! She sighed with relief.

"Thanks, Femur," she said gratefully.

Scrubs leaned in closer to the flowing sand.

"How do we get across?" he asked aloud.

"I'm up for ideas," Mystia announced.

"Look over there!" Femur alerted them while pointing across the sand river.

Mystia looked and spotted three large crates on the other side with two flags posted on either side of the middle crate.

"That's great, Femur," Mystia said politely, "but how does this help us?"

_Might I suggest something?_ Caspen asked.

_Give it to me,_ Mystia replied.

_Perhaps if you had something that could get you across, like a certain tool? _The boy suggested.

Mystia thought for a moment, then grinned. She held out her arms to Scrubs.

"Come on, little warrior!" the deity said to him.

Scrubs leaped into the deity's arms and the girl reached her hand out to Femur.

"You too," she said.

"What are you up to, miss?" the Stalfos asked as he took the giant's hand.

Scrubs clung to Mystia's arm as she reached into her magic pouch to retrieve the hookshot.

"We're getting across," she replied.

The deity pulled the hookshot out and fired it at the crates. It grabbed the boxes and pulled the three

companions across the river.

"AAAAHHHH!" both Stalfos and Deku cried as they were swept across the undulating, dry river.

They landed in the sand right before the crates. Scrubs leaped onto the crate in front of them and looked wide-eyed at Mystia.

"I hate it when you do that!" he growled.

"We're across, aren't we?" Mystia said with a smile.

She did her best to look ahead through the thick sandstorm and spied a flag in the distance.

"There's a flag," she shouted. "Come on!"

The deity picked up Scrubs and, with Femur right behind, began to follow the flags one by one. Femur, on occasion, pointed out each flag to Mystia so she could cover her eyes from the whirling sand.

"Up ahead! I see something!" Femur called out.

Mystia lifted up her eyes and saw a large, circular pillar made of stone. In front of them was an opening leading down inside. A slope circled the pillar leading to the top.

"What is it?" she asked the Stalfos.

"To be honest, I don't know. I've actually never been in this desert before."

_Now, he tells us!_ Caspen grumbled rudely.

Mystia climbed to the top of the pillar and saw a sign. She approached it and read:

_One with the eye of truth shall be guided to the Spirit Temple by an inviting ghost._

_Does it mean the eyes of truth?_ Mystia thought.

_It's worth finding out,_ Caspen said as he switched her vision.

The girl glanced around. Nothing but sand and flags.

_Well, if the 'inviting ghost' is supposed to be here, then where is it?_ Caspen asked.

"I don't see it!" she said in surprise.

Femur pulled out the lens of truth, held it against his eye and looked around.

"I don't see it, either!" Femur confirmed.

"Maybe it took a vacation?" Scrubs suggested.

Mystia's heart sank.

_What are we going to do now?_ She thought.

_You would think a ghost or something would be here, _Caspen spoke. _The sign said so. Besides_, _t__his desert is called the Haunted Wastelands for a reason!_

The word 'ghost' triggered a memory in Mystia's head.

_Not a ghost,_ she thought, _but what about a poe?_

"MABEL!" she shouted. "MABEL! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Femur gave the deity girl a wary look.

"What do you want her for?" he inquired in disgust.

"BOO!" shouted a voice.

All three travelers jumped and turned around. There floated Mabel the Poe with her lavender bun hair and long dress, carrying the same lantern.

"Oh, it never gets old!" Mabel cackled.

Femur growled.

"Mabel," Mystia said to the poe. "I need a favor from you."

"Well, it's about time!" the ghostly figure said while crossing her arms in annoyance. "I was wondering why it took you so long!"

"I was wondering," Mystia continued, "if you can get us across this desert to the colossus? The original guide isn't here, so I was hoping you knew—"

"That's it?!" the poe exclaimed. "That's what you called me here for? That's what I've been waiting for this whole time?! I half expected something almost frightening to the bone like to scare something away for you...but THIS?!"

Mable cradled her head with her hands and shook it. "That's it! My dead life is ruined! I once had such a great reputation, but now it boils down to being an anti-murder desert guide that can only scare people!"

"WOMAN!" Femur shouted. "Will you stop your complaining and get us out of this place!?"

"No pity for this dead soul!" Mabel replied, angrily. "How rude!"

"Please, Mabel!" Mystia interjected. "It's the only favor I will ever ask you. Then, you can go back to scaring people to your heart's content."

"Oh, alright," the poe sighed in regret and floated out to the desert. "But it's the only favor you'll get. You have to keep up with me, though."

The travelers followed the poe who took them on different twists and turns through the desert. Femur even questioned the poe's methods.

"She already took us that direction twice!" Femur complained. "I can see the flags right over there!"

"I don't get it, either, but she seems to know what she's doing," Mystia stated.

After several minutes, the poe led them to the two standing flags.

"That's it!" Mabel declared. "Well, I better get going!"

"Thanks for your help," Mystia said gratefully.

"Sure! At least _someone_ appreciates me," the poe scowled as she glared at Femur, who gave her an evil look back. "Well, the next time you see me, I'll be in the graveyard. Ta-ta!"

The poe laughed as she faded away.

"Finally!" Femur heavily sighed. "She's out of our lives!"

"Let's go!" Scrubs said with a leap. "To the temple!"

The group walked past the flags. The wind seemed to blow harder, which only made the sand sting and blind them. Then a bright light shined through the sandy fog and the wind died down. Everyone looked around and beheld the site before them as they walked forward.

Trees and rocks were scattered in the sand, but Mystia's focus was on the colossus of a statue above what she guessed was the entrance to the Spirit Temple. The statue was of a woman who appeared similar to the Gerudo people. She was sitting with her arms resting on her crossed legs and her palms up. Though the hissing snake curled around her head was made of stone, its eyes still looked eerily cold. The face of the woman herself had no expression and looked on toward Gerudo Fortress.

"Femur, do you know what that is?" Mystia asked the Stalfos.

"It is called the Desert Colossus," Femur replied. "The Gerudos also call her the Goddess of the Sand."

"What did she do?" the deity asked.

"Not sure," Femur told her with a shrug of his shoulders. "No one really knows except the Gerudos themselves."

They went under a stone archway and climbed the stairs to the entrance.

* * *

><p>Izzy: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaannd we're back again!<p>

Femur: I really don't like Mabel.

Oni: *appearing behind Femur* BOO!

Femur: AAAAAUUUUUUGGGGHHHH!

Oni: Hee hee!

Femur: T_T Grrrrrr...

Izzy: So, now we know for certain that the final stone is in the Spirit Temple, but our dear companions had to cross the dreaded wastelands to get there.

Scrubs: Sand...too much sand...

Izzy: Now, they made it safely and are on their way inside the temple. What will they find there? Will they get the stone? Find out next chapter!

Roecliff: R&R people! Authoress likes the reviews you give her!


	37. The Unexpected

Izzy: Hello again, everybody!

Oni: And what took so long this time?

Izzy: My beta was catching up on editing, so I paused for a while to type up my other chapters! So close to finishing this!

Scrubs: Just start the story already!

Izzy: Summary! Mystia and company have made it inside the Spirit Temple...with a little help.

Femur: Hate Mabel!

Izzy: Now, what will they find? Will they get the Stone of the Forest? What dangers will they encounter? Let's find out!

Disclaimer: OC claim...nothing more...

* * *

><p>Inside the Spirit temple was a set of stairs leading up to a floor slightly above. On either side of the room were two doors. One was small enough for a kid to crawl through and the other opened to a huge hall. Two statues stood on either side of the center of the room. They appeared like pigs with horns coming from their heads. The atmosphere was calming, yet edgy as if something unexpected would happen.<p>

Mystia, Scrubs and Femur walked up the stairs and glanced at their surroundings.

"So," Mystia spoke, "it looks like we have only one way to go—"

Suddenly, a square flat tile from the ceiling floated down to the floor.

"Whoa!" Scrubs exclaimed.

_I guess there are two ways,_ Caspen confirmed.

"Oh!" Mystia responded to the phenomena. "That appears more convenient. Let's check it out!"

"Should we?" Femur asked with worry. "I mean, is it possible that it could be a trap?"

"If it is, we can take care of it!" Scrubs declared. "We are warriors!"

"You two are, but not me," the Stalfos corrected.

"But don't you remember killing all those—" the Deku started.

"Scrubs!" Mystia quickly interrupted. "Femur doesn't need to know what he did."

"Know what?" Femur spoke sickly.

"But—" Scrubs tried to speak.

"Trust me," the deity said as she glared at the Deku. "He doesn't need _or_ want to know."

"Okay?" the little shrub replied, confused.

"Oh, dear!" Femur mumbled to himself as he began to feel nauseous.

"Let's try it out anyway," Mystia stated as she picked up Scrubs and headed toward the floating tile.

The deity and the Stalfos leaped onto the platform when it landed on the ground. Then it rose up through the hole in the ceiling and stopped in a small hallway.

"That was somewhat exhilarating," Femur said.

The group walked down the few steps before them and walked down the hallway, turned left, then left again, then right. They found themselves before a large door and went through it.

The door closed behind them and they stood in awe of the giant room they were in. Another large female statue similar to the one outside sat cross-legged before them. But it did not have a face; instead, the group saw a gated door where its face should have been.

"Could that be the way in?" Scrubs asked aloud.

_Sure is,_ Caspen confirmed. _Look in the cove!_

Mystia looked at the gate and saw a dark cloud fly through it..

_What was that?_ Mystia wondered.

"If that is the way in, then how do we get up there?" Femur asked.

"Let's find a way up," Mystia announced.

The group walked around the room to find a way to get close to the gate. Mystia spotted a rock wall that was low enough for her to reach with ease. She motioned to the others to follow her, then leaped up and grabbed the edge of the wall. The deity girl pulled herself up and turned to her comrades. She reached down to grab Scrubs and lifted him onto the wall and then pulled Femur carefully by the arms to the top.

The trio went up the flight of stairs and reached its topmost step.

"Look up there, Mystia!" Scrubs exclaimed. "I see something!"

A giant, short pillar suspended by chains hovered above them, and was leveled with the gated door in the statue's face.

"Yes!" Mystia commented, "but how to get up there now?"

"Maybe I can help," Femur said as he reached into his pouch and pulled out a rope. "If we had a hook to attach this to, then we could throw it up there to catch the chains and pull ourselves up."

"Good thinking, Femur!" Mystia said with a smile.

The giant girl pulled from her magic pouch the old grappling hook that Natasha gave her.

"Hand me the rope," she commanded Femur.

The Stalfos obeyed and Mystia took the thick twine and tied it to the hook.

"Femur, you might want to duck," she informed her skeleton friend.

"I'll do better than that," he told her as he laid himself down on the ground and covered his head.

Mystia began swinging the grappling hook above her head. After gaining enough momentum, she released it upwards toward one of the chains. It wrapped around the chain and few times and latched on. The young warrior pulled the rope taut to assure its being secure.

"I'll go first," she told her group.

Wrapping her arms and legs around the rope, the deity pulled herself upward. Halfway up, she felt beads of sweat form on her brow from the strain. Her fingers felt raw and her arms and legs started to wear out. With every ounce of strength left, she heaved herself onto the hanging pillar.

"Femur!" she called down. "Have Scrubs get on your back and you climb up! I'll keep it steady!"

She watched from above as Scrubs got on Femur's back and the Stalfos grabbed the rope to begin his climb.

"By my phalanges, my friend," she heard Femur say to Scrubs. "You're heavier than you look!"

"Great to know..." the Deku grumbled.

_It's all those nuts he's been eating,_ Caspen chuckled.

With almost no effort, Femur quickly climbed to the top. Mystia pulled him up while Scrubs hopped off and onto the pillar. The girl untangled the hook and looked at the gate in front of them.

"Still too far for a jump there," Femur pointed out.

"Maybe my hookshot will do the trick," Mystia thought out loud.

She placed the grappling hook inside her pouch and pulled out the hookshot. She picked up Scrubs and placed him on her back and held Femur's hand while aiming at the gate with her weapon. She pulled the trigger and the hook grabbed the gate, which then pulled them toward it. When they landed in front of it, the gate rose up and revealed a small hallway with a large door.

Mystia approached the door and opened it to walk inside.

* * *

><p>They entered a wide, long hallway. A red carpet as long as the hallway ran in the center of it.<p>

"I wonder what's on the other side of that door?" Mystia asked.

"Your fate, young warrior!" a sinister voice announced.

Suddenly, black smoke formed at the doorway before them. It grew and then exploded outward and revealed a shadow figure with lava-flowing hair and beady red eyes. The devious smile showed pointed teeth; and the ruby stone in the middle of her forehead glistened with beauty.

"Nightus!" Mystia fumed.

The shadow woman chuckled with amusement.

"Nice to see you again, Oni Mystia," Nightus said in a cold, wicked tone. "It's been a while since last we met...and will be your last."

"Why are you here?" Mystia demanded.

"That would be my question to you," the shadow grinned, "except I already know what it is. Looking for this?"

The lady of the night held out her hand with her palm up. Appearing in her hand in a puff of smoke was an emerald stone with a gold band curling on it.

"The Stone of the Forest!" Femur exclaimed.

"Why you...you...creepy lady!" Scrubs shrilled. "You stole that from the Deku Tree!"

"That doesn't belong to you, Nightus!" Mystia growled. "Hand it over!"

Nightus grinned.

"If you want it so badly, warrior," the black shadow spoke wickedly, "then come and get it...alone."

The shadow dissipated into a black cloud and vanished behind the door.

"I don't think that's a good idea, miss," Femur said worriedly.

"It could be a trap," Scrubs shivered. "Please don't go in there."

_We have to get that stone!_ Caspen reminded Mystia. _We're so close to freedom! We can't stop now because of some female shadow creepiness!_

"Don't worry," Mystia said to her companions with determination. "I'll be careful. You just wait here."

"We'll wait here for ya, miss," Femur nodded and patted Scrubs' head.

The deity girl returned the nod, then turned to the door and went in. She found herself in a small hallway lit with torches. The door on the other side was her only other way to Nightus, so she went through.

* * *

><p>She came upon an enormous room with a very high ceiling. Four square pillars stood around a much larger pillar. On all sides of all five pillars were rock walls for her to use to get on top. She went for the enormous pillar and climbed to the top. Its large stone platform was mostly covered by an elegant, red rug.<p>

Standing in the middle of it was Nightus with her back towards Mystia. The warrior pulled out her blade and shield and watched the shadow woman carefully.

"A wise decision," the woman said with a chuckle. "Now, your life is doomed."

Suddenly, a tall, red force field wall formed all around the large pillar.

"What in Farore?" Mystia inquired with confusion.

The shadow turned to her. Her ruby eyes gleamed in success and her lips curled into a wicked grin.

"Did you really think I was going to let you get all the stones and keep them for yourself?" Nightus said as if she was talking to a child. "Foolish girl!"

_Mystia,_ Caspen spoke up in realization. _She tricked you!_

Mystia then realized something herself.

"You knew about this," Mystia said as she began to fit the pieces together. "You knew I was after the stones all along, so you used me to get the stones for you!"

"Very good, Oni Mystia!" Nightus congratulated her with three claps of her hands. "You finally figured it out! And now, thanks to you, I can get these stones to the king. You have been quite helpful. You saved me the hassle of getting them myself."

Mystia growled.

"You won't win, Nightus!" she snapped at the lady of the night. "I won't let you."

"It's too late now, deity child," Nightus declared. "You have lost already. There's no escaping your fate now."

The shadow woman raised her hands and two swords appeared in them. They were scimitars that were similar to the ones that Natasha possessed.

"Gerudo females seem to know their weapons pretty well, don't they?" the woman smirked. "They're powerful and lethal."

She crossed them in front of her then scratched them together just before she pulled them apart.

"A perfect set of weapons to destroy a powerful being like you," she continued. "Today, you breathe your last...deity..."

"Not on your life, Nightus," Mystia replied while holding her own weapon up to accept the challenge.

The shadow raised one scimitar behind her head and pointed the other at Mystia. The girl positioned the Double Helix Sword in front of her and raised her shield in defense.

The shadow woman was the first to make a move. She leaped in the air towards and sliced her curved sword downward upon Mystia. The deity deflected her blow with her shield. But the moment the scimitar made contact, the shield glowed with an intense energy that immediately exploded outward. The energy in the shield blew the woman back with such a great force that it sent her flying across the floor. Mystia ran toward her with a cry and swung her sword to the left with an attempt to slash Nightus, but the dark woman shifted to smoke and whipped around her quickly. She returned to her form and grinned.

"This is getting too easy for you," the lady of night said with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "Let's see what happens when your vision is clouded in darkness."

Nightus flew up and began to spin. Dark violet beams shot out towards the lit torches around the room. They blacked out and left Mystia in the dark.

_Does she really think that would slow us down?_ Caspen stated incredulously.

Mystia smirked and focused her energy into light. The giant deity's glow was brighter than ever. She observed the room carefully for Nightus who was now hidden among the shadows.

She heard movement behind her. She waited for a few seconds before spinning around and swinging her sword. The white energy beams shot out and slammed into the dark. She heard Nightus scream in pain and then a growl.

"You're too clever for you own good," the shadow female hissed. "Now it's over!"

Nightus swooped in from the darkness into Mystia's light. All the deity saw were the ruby eyes, the ruby stone just above the middle of the red eyes, and the white, sharp teeth which bared at her angrily. She held up the shield to protect herself from the invisible scimitars that attacked her.

Then she did a downward slash toward the shadow, but Nightus defended herself by crossing her scimitars like a shield. The female swung her blades as well, but Mystia deflected them with her own sword as well.

On and on they went: shadow and light, scimitar to white steel. Mystia started to feel worn down from it all.

_I don't know how much longer I can take this,_ she thought.

_You want me to take over? _Caspen asked.

Mystia tried to think of other possibilities, but she had none. She knew, though, that she could trust Caspen. He did it before and returned her body to her. Why not now?

_Go ahead, _she replied, _but give me a moment to get some space._

_I'll wait,_ Caspen told her.

Mystia could feel the wind from Nightus' fast-moving blade as it nearly nicked her face. But she leaped out of the way and stood there listening for Nightus.

_Now!_ She shouted to Caspen.

She suddenly felt the separation from her body and spirit as Caspen replaced her with himself. Now within her own mind, she observed from Caspen's narrow and angry eyes.

"Come out, shadow freak!" Caspen shouted in his voice. "Let's end this!"

Nightus laughed.

"What happened to your voice, deity child?" she chuckled. "You sound like a man all of the sudden."

"That's because I'm Oni the Warrior God," Caspen responded, "the spirit that lives within her. Now come out and give us a real fight!"

_Oni the Warrior God,_ Mystia thought. _Been a while since I heard that one._

Nightus walked out from the shadows. Her face appeared amused by the change of the situation.

"Spirit of the Warrior God, hmm?" she smirked. "So, she doesn't actually own all those abilities. She's then nothing but a simple mortal carrying a spirit who claims himself to be a god. HA! You are no god compared to the Dark King! He's much more powerful than you!"

"Darkness can't rule the light ," Caspen declared. "The light will always overcome the likes of you!"

"If that's what you think, warrior god," the shadow glared. "I will prove you wrong!"

She rushed to Caspen with her swords raised in attack. Caspen leaped high into the air as if it were nothing and dodged the weapons. While in the air, he did a flip and spin to get himself behind the shadow woman.

She had just turned when he raised his sword to chop her body in half with an outward swing. She stepped backwards, but it wasn't enough to avoid the white beams that came out and slam into her. With her hair flying madly around her head, she uttered a cry of anger as she got back on her feet. She charged again and leaped into the air to get her victim.

Caspen jumped to the side, threw himself into a forward roll and propelled him into the air while spinning his sword all around him. It slashed the shadow's back and knocked her down on the ground. She dropped her weapons in the process and the deity kicked them out of the way. He pointed his weapon at Nightus.

"It's over, dark shadow," he told her.

Nightus smiled deviously, and then vanished into smoke. It whipped quickly toward the weapons and gathered them inside the dark cloud. Then it swiftly flew towards Caspen who had no idea how to defend himself.

_Caspen,_ Mystia called out. _Try the whirlwind attack!_

Caspen nodded and started to spin. Faster and faster he went until a whirlwind of light and energy surrounded him entirely.

The dark cloud tried to pull away from the suction generated from the whirlwind attack, but there was no escaping from it. Nightus shrieked as the energy began to do its damage when she was drawn into the whirling twister.

Caspen leaped out and slammed the tornado with his sword, which sent it to the red force field wall. The whirl exploded in light and all that was left of it was Nightus herself on her hands and knees and gasping for air. Her lava hair hung down lifeless and her body was splotched with white scars from the beams. Caspen approached her again and held out his sword at the shadow's neck.

"I don't think you heard me clearly," he said sarcastically. "I said, 'it's over!'"

The female looked up angrily with her red ruby eyes glaring with hatred.

"This won't be over..." she hissed through her teeth painfully. "I will not...be defeated...by a wretched...giant brat..."

She stopped as she grabbed her head in pain.

"No! Stop it!" she shouted. "I demand it! Silence!"

_What is wrong with this picture?_ Mystia heard Caspen think.

The girl watched as Nightus groaned even more while holding her hand over the middle of her forehead. Then, she realized something.

_Caspen! That's it!_ She called out. _The ruby on her forehead! That must be her weak spot! Just like Gometh!_

_Good thinking, _Caspen complimented.

Nightus stood up and released her forehead. She looked lightheaded.

_Caspen, destroy the ruby!_ Mystia shouted.

_Wow, you are just as bad as I am with you,_ Caspen mentioned.

_Do it!_ Mystia said, frustrated.

Caspen raised his sword. Nightus was in so much shock that she didn't realize until it was too late that the diety had slammed the blade of his sword into the jeweled stone within her forehead. The gem shattered on contact.

Nightus screamed at the top of her lungs as she held her head in pain. Then, before Caspen's and Mystia's eyes, the woman was surrounded by the smoke again only it started at her feet and swirled around her. The cloud rose up and disappeared. Left behind was another figure who fell on her knees in heavy breaths.

_I think she's harmless enough,_ Caspen informed Mystia.

Suddenly, Mystia felt herself return to her body once again. She then felt her weary body and her fast-beating heart. She felt her lungs return to her as she gave a sigh of relief. Tired and worn from battle, she collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion.

* * *

><p>She woke up to the sound of chatter from above her. When she opened her eyes, she saw Femur and Scrubs right above her.<p>

"She's alive!" Scrubs shouted.

"Oh, thank goodness, miss!" Femur spoke with relief. "Are you alright?"

_Mystia!_ She heard Caspen say. _Are you okay? When you fainted, I got worried for a moment._

Mystia groaned and held her head as she sat up. When she looked around, she noticed that they weren't in the battle room where she fought Nightus, but outside of the desert temple. It felt slightly chilly from the night air.

"How...How did we get here?" Mystia asked weakly.

"Thankfully, your friends were nearby to help me out," said a deep, feminine voice.

Mystia looked up to find a woman with her hands on her hips. Mystia noticed that she looked similar to Natasha except her outfit was pink, her hair was deep, red and hung around her face, and her eyes were a liquid gold.

"I figured from your exhaustion, you needed some fresh air," the female continued, "so I had your Stalfos friend here help me carry you out."

"Thank you," Mystia replied as she finally started coming back to her senses. She did remember seeing this woman inside the temple after the defeat of Nightus the Dark Shadow. In fact, remembering more now, she _was_ Nightus the Dark Shadow.

"No, thank you," the woman replied. "You did save my life back there."

The deity girl stood up and brushed herself off, then held out her hand to the Gerudo.

"My name is Oni Mystia," she told the woman.

"Nabooru of the Gerudo tribe," the female responded while placing a fist on her chest. "I am the former lone wolf thief."

Mystia's eyes widened in surprise as she lowered her hand down.

"You're Nabooru!?" she exclaimed.

The Gerudo nodded.

"Then...how did you end up as Nightus?" the deity asked.

"It was because of that horrible, terrible pig tyrant, Ganondorf," she responded with a growl. "He made me like that to get information out of me and use me for his terrible scheme!"

"WHO?!" everyone exclaimed.

"You act as if you have never heard his name before," the Gerudo said curiously. "He's the Dark King that rules this land; however, he doesn't deserve the throne. It was never his to begin with."

Mystia's eyes widened. She knew that name too well! She had heard it before! Suddenly, she heard a voice as if she heard it yesterday:

_YOU HEAR ME? I WILL BE VICTORIOUS! I AM GANONDORF, LORD OF THE GERUDOS, KING OF THE WORLD! I WILL FUFILL MY REVENGE!_

_Caspen!_ Mystia thought to the deity within her. _ I know him! I've seen him!_

Memories that she thought didn't exist appeared in her mind. A faint image of a woman humming her to sleep. The banging and screams far away from her. A frightening skeletal face. Then, the image of the dark man came to her mind. The dark red hair, the dark skin, the devilish smile and, worst of all, the terrible, cold, evil eyes. It was vivid, but she could see it enough to know who it was.

"I have heard of him," Mystia whispered in horror.

Scrubs looked up in curiosity. "You have?"

"Back in my village, we've heard stories about him," Mystia continued. "But...but I've also seen him...in my dreams. I've heard his voice...I've seen his face..."

The image of the man came back and she matched the voice she heard to the movements of his mouth.

_How unfortunate that your own life would come to this! You're own little world crumbling before your very eyes. And you are only so innocent to everything around you. It's a shame you won't live long but...at least my revenge will be complete!_

_Revenge?_ Caspen inquired curiously. _What revenge? What have you ever done to him?_

Still trying to shake off her fear, Mystia only replied, _I don't know. I just don't know_!

"Mystia?" Scrubs asked while tugging on the warrior's white tunic in worry. "Are you okay?"

The deity girl looked down at the Deku.

"This man...I know him somehow," she said to him, "...but I don't know how."

"Has he attacked your village?" Nabooru asked.

"No, but his servant, Ashasti, has," the deity replied in a daze. She still couldn't get over the fresh memories that have recently surfaced in her mind.

"Miss Nabooru," Femur spoke up, "what information was it that he wanted from you exactly?"

"Well, it was about..." the Gerudo started, but then she paused in horror. "Oh no! What have I done!"

Mystia, now distracted from her memories by Nabooru's exclamation, turned her attention to the lone wolf thief.

"What's wrong?" she asked the Gerudo woman.

"We don't have time to waste!" Nabooru informed her as she headed eastward toward the wastelands. "We have to get back to the Kokiri Forest and fast!"

"What do you mean?!" Scrubs asked with a shout.

"Why the Kokiri Forest?!" Femur also exclaimed in question.

_Why the Kokiri Forest? _Mystia wondered.

Then, Mystia remembered and horror filled her heart.

"Oh no! Zelda!" she shouted. "The Dark King knows where she is! She's in trouble! "

* * *

><p>Izzy: OH NO! The Queen's in trouble.<p>

All except Oni: GASP!

Femur: Ohhhh...the poor queen!

Oni: What about the Stone of the Forest!?

Izzy: Yes, my dear readers! Nightus is really Nabooru and she has informed our dear companions about what could possibly be the most horrible tragedy yet! The Queen's life is in danger! Will Mystia and her friends make it to the base in time? Will the Queen be safe? Find out next chapter!

Scrubs: I hate cliff hangers!

Oni: Great idea! I'll hang the Deku off a cliff!

Scrubs: AHHH!

Roecliff: R&R people!


	38. Trouble in the Woods

Izzy: Next chapter is here!

Femur: Hello, Miss Phyllis! I'm glad you are my biggest fan!

Oni: You have a fan club?! What about me?!

Scrubs: No one likes you! You're a jerk!

Oni: Don't you start again!

Roecliff: Especially that stalker, Demon Princess of Time, you have...

Oni: Where!? Where is she?!

Izzy: Summary! Nightus is Nabooru and Zelda's in trouble! Will our famous companions make it in time? Find out here!

Disclaimer: I've totally have said like over a baker's dozen times that I don't own Zelda!

* * *

><p>With Nabooru's help, Mystia, Scrubs and Femur rushed through the haunted desert to the Gerudo Fortress. The Gerudo leader informed Natasha of the issue at hand and placed her in charge of the Fortress until she returned. Mystia and Femur climbed onto Starfire, Scrubs hopped onto Fetch, who was very excited to see them, and Nabooru mounted on a sun-gold stallion. Together, the group raced to Hyrule Field. Their destination: The rebel base in Kokiri Forest.<p>

When they reached Hyrule Field, they could see that fresh, fallen snow had covered the ground. Hoof prints and paw prints formed in the white fluff as the mounted beasts rushed with speed.

After all the memories of Ganondorf resurfacing in her mind, Mystia's head was in a whirl. Not only was she trying to figure out why she knew this man personally, but now she was thinking the worst for the rebels of Hyrule. What will become of them? What horrid things will the evil man do to them? What about the queen? What will become of her? She just couldn't let anything happen to them! She just couldn't! She would fail the queen and there would be nothing she could do to fix it! She had to hurry! She had to get there before it was too late!

_Too late!_ Caspen exclaimed in shock.

The beasts quickly halted in fear and the riders gasped in horror.

The Kokiri Forest entrance was shrouded in black and white: the work of the white shadows!

_The Kokiri!_ Mystia thought with great worry. _The Hylians! Zelda! No! It can't be too late! It just can't!_

The girl dismounted and, leaving everyone else behind, ran into the entrance.

_Oh no! The Kokiri!_ Mystia thought.

As the deity girl feared, the little children of the forest were all possessed. They were all in black and white colors with their eyes shining the same red glow as all the others who had been possessed. The houses, grass and waters were all the same neutral shades. Not a guardian fairy was in sight.

_For Din's sake, they're just children!_ Mystia exclaimed. _What have they done to deserve this!?_

"Tree sap!" she heard Scrubs say from behind.

"Skull and crossbones!" Femur said in shock and awe.

_And, yes...they're here too,_ Caspen informed Mystia as he revealed the white shadows to her with his vision. There were much more than before!

Nabooru approached and stood next to the giant deity.

"We have to get past them somehow," the Gerudo told her.

"Miss Deity," Femur spoke up. "I still have the lens of truth. Maybe the Deku and I could distract them while you two investigate the base?"

"Yeah!" Scrubs declared. "We'll show them!"

"An excellent idea," Mystia agreed. "Go for it!"

Scrubs, Femur and Fetch headed towards the children. Mystia watched through the eyes of truth the white shadows taking interest in her companions.

"Follow me carefully," she told Nabooru. "We don't want to get the white shadows' attention."

The deity and the Gerudo carefully passed by the group and headed for the entrance to the Great Deku Tree.

Mystia noticed the stone walls that once stood proud were now crumbled and chipped from damage. When they reached the gate, they could see that it had been torn down. It revealed the Great Deku Tree in black and white, but it wasn't any of this that Mystia noticed the most. She noticed that the Great Deku Tree behind the gate was no longer green, but was black and white. But what she saw near the tree brought deep sorrow in her heart.

Lying around the Great Deku Tree were soldiers.

Dead Hylian soldiers.

All of them were scattered around the giant tree and were pierced with arrows, spears or daggers. Blood stained the snow and the skins of the soldiers were pale or blue from either the cold or death.

_No!_ Mystia thought in disbelief. _No no no NO NO NO NO!_

"We're too late..." Nabooru spoke unbelieving.

Mystia fell to her knees and screamed in agony.

"Why does this happen whenever** I** show up!?" the girl bitterly cried. "Why!? WHY?! WHY?! Great Goddesses, WHY!? Why does this happen!?"

Mystia sobbed with her hands and knees in the frozen snow. Warm, bitter tears fell from her hot, pale face.

"Why that horrible, disgusting pig!" Nabooru growled in fury. "CURSE YOU! CURSE YOU, GANONDORF! CURSE YOU TO THE DARK REALM!"

_Everywhere I go, someone gets hurt!_ Mystia solemnly and frustratingly thought to herself. _It's like I'm bad luck to the world. I brought only death here!_

_Now, hold on!_ Caspen firmly spoke to her. _You did not bring death and you are not bad luck! If it weren't for you, Hyrule would have been under complete darkness. And who, besides you, knew where the Queen was? This was not your fault! Now, quit blaming yourself and find out what happened so we can fix it!_

"Help..." a weak voice quivered.

Mystia looked up with welled-up tears. Ignoring the coldness of the frozen tracks of the tears she had already shed on her face, she searched for the voice.

"Who's there?" Mystia called out.

"Help...please...I'm wounded..." the voice spoke again.

"Oni Mystia, look!" Nabooru spoke as she pointed toward the tree.

Mystia followed the direction of the Gerudo's arm and found a white-haired woman leaning against the trunk. Her red eyes were filled with pain, and blood seeped from her side. Her shallow gasps formed clouds of frosty breath. She reached out her bloody hand and tried to walk toward Mystia and Nabooru, but she stumbled and fell into the snow.

Mystia knew right away who it was and quickly ran to her. She collapsed next to the woman and scooped her head in her arms.

"Impa," she whispered to the woman.

"Oni...Oni Mystia..." the Sheikah breathed.

"Shhhh..." the warrior gently hushed her as she reached her hand into her magic pouch. She pulled out her last jug of Chateau Romani and had the Sheikah sit up carefully as she pulled the cork off with her teeth.

"Drink this," Mystia told her as she held up the jug to Impa's lips. "This will help heal you."

The woman sipped the drink slowly. Half of the jug was gone when she signed to Mystia to remove the bottle. Mystia did and watched as the woman's wound began to heal under the slightly torn Sheikah garb where Impa got stabbed. The red-eyed woman's breaths drew in life more deeply than before.

"Thank you, Oni Mystia," Impa told her.

"Impa, what happened here?" Mystia asked the Sheikah.

"Monsters came," the woman replied. "They attacked us everywhere. The children...all the Kokiri...were transformed into strange beings. They acted insane. We realized there was no stopping what was happening, so the queen told Scevik to take the people and escape to the underground tunnels toward Death Mountain."

Impa paused to catch her breath.

"I told Zelda to go with them, but she wouldn't listen. She told me that her duty was to protect the people. All that was left of the soldiers fought alongside us. I did everything I could to protect her..."

"What happened to her?" Mystia anxiously asked.

Impa shed a small tear from her red eyes.

"They took her," she replied regrettably. "The monsters took her."

_The Dark King found her,_ Caspen said sadly.

_No,_ Mystia corrected. _Ganondorf found her._

The warrior's heart pounded with different emotions. Her mission to protect the queen had failed. She failed the queen. She failed the people. The King of Evil...won.

_Not yet,_ Caspen assured her. _For one thing, he doesn't have you yet for whatever reason. And another thing is that the Master Sword is still safe in the temple. We can use it to get the queen back!_

Mystia nodded.

_That's true,_ she agreed. _There is still hope._

"Such a shame!" spoke a familiar voice.

Mystia turned around to the voice and gasped.

Takaro stood there with his arms crossed in poise. The cape waved in the slight wind as well as his jet black hair. His one eye, however, wasn't gold.

It was red.

_Oh no!_ Mystia thought in horror. _Takaro has been taken over by the white shadows!_

"Oni Mystia, Oni Mystia," the boy said as his eye gleamed in mischief. "It looks like you missed the party. That's too bad! It was a smash!"

The girl growled in fury. Takaro was certainly not acting like his real self.

"Do you know this boy?" Nabooru inquired.

"Yes," the warrior replied without removing her gaze from Takaro. "He's possessed."

"Me? Possessed?" Takaro chuckled. "Where did you get an idea like that? From me? Ha! I was always like this!"

_I _knew_ it!_ Caspen shouted. _I _knew_ it! I _knew_ he was trouble from the beginning!_

"I only played nice with you so I can have the opportunity to find out who you were," the possessed boy continued. "Then, I informed Ashasti of your arrival."

"That's a lie!" Mystia shouted in protest.

"Oh really?" Takaro smirked as if he won a riddle game. "Did you really trust me that much? Foolish child!"

He took a few steps forward with a gleam of victory in his eye.

"It's just like you said when we first met," he said deviously. "You had no reason to trust me. And I thought you were careful of who your friends were. Looks like I was wrong. You couldn't even see the enemy right under your nose."

This made Mystia ticked! How dare he trick her like this! All this time, she believed in a lie!

Angrily, she pulled out her sword and shield.

"You're right, Takaro!" Mystia growled. "I should have never trusted you!"

She heard Nabooru and Impa pulling their weapons out.

"Are you really going to fight me?" Takaro said incredulously. "Very well, but you'll be sorry!"

* * *

><p>Izzy: NOOOOOOOO!<p>

Oni: I always knew that guy was evil!

Scrubs: But he was so nice! What did they do to deserve this?!

Izzy: Many of the soldiers are slain and Zelda has been captured by Ganondorf's army! Not only that, but now Mystia has a new threat: Takaro!

Roecliff: It isn't fair!

Izzy: Is it? Has Takaro fallen into darkness or has he always been so and has kept it a secret? What will Mystia do next? Find out next chapter!

Roecliff: Izzy misses everyone's R&R! Please R&R!


	39. Goodbye Children!

Izzy: And we're back!

Roecliff: We're about to get into a battle!

Oni: Takaro will suffer my wrath...

Izzy: Yes! Takaro appears to have gone bad and Mystia is very put out about it! Who will win this battle! What will happen? Find out in this chapter!

Scrubs: Which happens to be entitled "Goodbye Children". Why?

Izzy: FIND OUT! IN THIS CHAPTER!

Disclaimer: I have an Ocarina of Time soundtrack, music from Majora's Mask, The 25th Anniversary Zelda music, and finally, the legendary Hyrule Historia book!

Oni: But that doesn't mean you own Zelda. It means you own Zelda merchandise!

Izzy: WHATEVER!

* * *

><p>Mystia glared intensely at Takaro. After this whole time, she had been tricked! She was through with treachery! She was done with white shadows! She was going to end this madness once and for all!<p>

Takaro raised his left hand and blasted red energy at Mystia. She lifted her shield to defend herself from the blows which slammed hard into it.

Nabooru and Impa ran up before him. The Gerudo leader flashed her two scimitars and the Sheikah held out her two kodachi blades. All three fighters surrounded Takaro who grinned.

"What game is this?" he teased. "Ring around the shadow?"

He spun quickly while firing blasts of energy at the three. Impa leaped out of the way, Nabooru held the swords to her face and deflected the blows, and Mystia kept her shield up.

_Got any ideas, Caspen?_ Mystia asked.

_Not yet,_ the deity replied.

_You're joking, right?_ Mystia asked with disbelief.

_I honestly don't know,_ He informed her.

_You're so helpful!_ She remarked.

_Give me a break!_ _I don't know everything! _He said defensively.

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLPPPP!" shouted a squeaky voice.

"Run, little Deku, run!" shouted a British voice.

Mystia glanced behind her. Femur, Fetch and Scrubs were running toward the battlefield with a bunch of Kokiri children chasing after them.

_Great!_ Caspen exclaimed in frustration. _They brought the white shadows with them!_

_Just what the doctor ordered,_ Mystia stated sarcastically.

"Skull and Crossbones!" Femur exclaimed while gagging. "Dead people!"

"Sap!" Scrubs shouted when he saw the deity giant. "Mystia!"

"Careful, you guys!" Mystia called out. "He's dangerous!"

"Isn't that Takaro?" Scrubs asked.

"Yes, but now isn't the time for-AHH!"

Just as she was almost finished saying her last statement, red energy slammed into her chest and knocked her down into the cold snow. Pain zapped through her body from the mild electrocution. As she tried to recover. Takaro planted his foot into her stomach and pressed down. She started to gag at the pressure and felt like she was going to throw up.

"Stay where you are, deity child!" the boy demanded. "Now is the time to show you your real destiny!"

He formed a red energy ball in his hand.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAA!" shouted a voice.

Mystia saw Scrubs flying through the air and slam into the Great Deku Tree with a 'clonk'!

"Oooowwww..." the little plant groaned as he slid down the tree. "Too...hard..."

"Sorry!" Femur shouted. "Didn't mean to throw you so hard! I guess I don't know my own strength!"

Scrubs' distraction was enough for Mystia to react. She grasped her shield more firmly and whipped it into a tight arch at Takaro's shins. The boy yelled in pain before falling into the snow with a grunt. Mystia quickly got to her feet.

_Are you thinking what I'm thinking?_ Mystia asked Caspen.

_I always know what you're thinking, _Caspen replied lightheartedly. _That aside, I do like your thinking._

Mystia grinned as she held out her sword and began to spin. Faster and faster she went until a huge whirlwind surrounded her. When she could feel her energy fade from her body, she leaped out of the swirling vortex and struck it with her sword.

The tornado of energy flew straight at Takaro who was caught off guard. He screamed as the vortex sucked him in and whipped him around. Then, the whirlwind slammed against the Great Deku Tree and exploded. akaro was left partially lying on the ground and partially leaning against the tree with his clothes tattered from the damage that was put on him. He groaned from the pain.

Mystia, feeling dizzy from the spinning and lack of energy, held her head in her hand and tried to stay balanced.

"Here, miss," the voice of Femur spoke.

Mystia looked to her right to see the skeleton holding out a bottle of green liquid.

"Thanks, Femur," she smiled weakly as she took the bottle from him.

She pulled the cork and quickly gulped down the disgusting potion. She then felt her energy return to her as she handed the bottle back to the Stalfos and held her sword up to Takaro.

"Now, what to do with you?" she questioned aloud.

SNAP!

Scrubs fired a Deku nut at Takaro.

_Mystia! Look!_ Caspen exclaimed.

Her vision shifted to the eyes of truth. Coming from Takaro was a large white shadow. This one, however, was slightly different from the others. It had a mouth aligned with razor sharp teeth and a clock with hands on its chest.

_What's with the clock?_ Mystia wondered.

_Maybe he lost track of time,_ Caspen suggested.

_Or...he causes loss of time,_ Mystia guessed.

"Time's run out for you," the white shadow spoke. "Prepare to meet your doom, Oni Mystia."

_This is a bigger problem than what I had expected,_ Mystia thought.

_I can agree with that,_ Caspen replied.

"What is it, Oni Mystia?" Impa called out. "What's happening?"

"Stay back!" Mystia commanded. "It's a white shadow!"

"Not just any white shadow," the creature corrected. "I am _the_ white shadow. The leader of them all."

"Leader?" Mystia thought aloud.

"Ashasti is nothing but a fool to try and control us like savages," the shadow continued. "It was because of me that he was able to use us in the first place. Otherwise, he would have had the same fate as everyone else in this miserable world. He made the perfect pawn to keep curious people like you off my trail!"

The creature looked back to where Takaro still laid.

"As for him, he was just a disguise for me to stay hidden," it continued, then looked back at Mystia. "Even you had a part to play in it, deity. Thanks to you, the people's guard went down and made it much easier to possess them. Now, you have crossed the line and you will pay!"

_We can kill him now, right?_ Caspen asked with determination.

The deity girl raised her weapon.

_Gladly,_ she growled within.

The girl ran up to the white shadow with a cry.

The creature grinned and raised his hand to her. Red energy waves formed and targeted the deity girl.

Mystia dodged out of the way, but Scrubs, who wasn't paying attention, walked right into the waves.

"Wha!" he shouted.

Scrubs' little body stiffened and he became frozen in place.

"Scrubs!" Mystia exclaimed, horrified. Worry turned into fury as she turned to glare at the shadow. "You did NOT just mess with the Deku!"

Then, Mystia did something without realizing it. She bolted toward the Great Deku Tree and, with great speed, ran up the side of the trunk. She then leaped off and propelled her sword as she spun in the air. The light beams that came from the weapon did damage to the white shadow. Finally, the sword made contact with the creatures head and decapitated it from its body. On her way down, Mystia slashed the monster's body into shreds and left behind flakes of the remains that quickly vanished without a trace, except for the large clock which fell to the ground.

Mystia approached the clock which ticked slower and slower. She could hear laughter from within.

_Just like Gometh,_ Mystia thought. _You have to destroy the weak spot._

With a scream, Mystia whipped the Double Helix Sword over her head and brought it down upon the clock. The face shattered and the sound of broken springs and cogs erupted from it. Then, what was left of the ghostly devise slowly faded away from sight.

"OOOOHHHHHHH!"

"AUGH!"

"AAAAAHHHHH!"

Mystia turned around to the shouts. The possessed Kokiri held their heads and wailed in pain. Through her special vision she witnessed the white shadows emerging from them. They even wailed in pain. She watched as, this time, the horrid monsters that had terrorized the world began to fade away.

_What was that all about?_ Mystia wondered.

Caspen removed her vision and she looked up. The black clouds that once covered the sky had disappeared and revealed the sun that shone brightly in the sky. The sun, she noticed, was moving slower than usual.

_Caspen? What time is it?_ Mystia asked.

_It's almost three in the afternoon,_ the boy replied.

Mystia pulled out the Termainian clock from her pouch and watched the wheels turn. They moved slower. Steadier. On time.

_Time is normal again,_ Mystia thought with relief. _The white shadows are gone._

_So, it was that thing's fault!_ Caspen exclaimed. _That explains the clock on its chest! It controlled both __the white shadows and time!_

_How long has it been since we left the Dark Forest near Meladon?_ Mystia inquired.

Caspen whispered as he counted.

_Four months, two weeks, and twelve days,_ he replied.

_So, it would be winter already,_ Mystia confirmed.

"Whew!" Scrubs exclaimed as he got up from the snow. "I thought I was a goner when I ran into those waves!"

"By my phalanges!" Femur proclaimed. "That was amazing, miss!"

Mystia smiled at the Stalfos.

"Ohhh..." the deity heard someone groan.

She turned toward the Great Deku Tree. Takaro had stood up and was rubbing his head in pain.

Mystia began to feel anger, but it subsided when she remembered what really happened to Takaro. She started to approach him.

"Takaro, are you alri-" she began.

She stopped when she noticed the boy's appearance. His once black hair was now a dark green. His skin tone was fair in complexion and his eyes, now both visible, were a deep brown. His mouth was still covered by a black cloth. The shirt, turban and shoes remained white, but his pants were a dark brown. The cloak that surrounded him was the same dark green as his hair.

Takaro's transformed form took her aback a bit.

Takaro seemed to have noticed as well, for he looked at his hands with surprise.

"I...I can't believe it," he said aloud. "I'm...I'm free. The white shadow is gone."

"Takaro," Mystia said in awe. "You..."

The boy looked up at her with a smile in his eyes.

"Didn't think I looked like this, did you?" the boy replied.

Mystia smiled and shook her head.

"No," she admitted.

"You really did it, Mystia," Takaro rejoiced. "You did it! Just like he said you would!"

Confused, Mystia asked, "Who?"

"Everyone!"

All that stood in the field looked up at the Great Deku Tree who groaned as he looked down.

"As you all know, time itself has been returned to normal," the tree spoke. "However, much still needs to be done and there is little time to do it. First, the dead must be put to rest."

Everyone got to work quickly. While the Kokiri, Scrubs, and Fetch dug up a huge hole behind the Deku Tree with their small shovels, Mystia, Impa and Nabooru removed weapons from the dead bodies and brought them to the hole.

Femur stood back while getting sicker as he watched the people work.

When the hole was deep enough, everyone worked to put the bodies into the hole. Finally, when all the people replaced the dirt over the large grave, Impa grabbed a large stone from some rubble and began to carve a gravestone out of it. Once she finished, she and Mystia carried it over to the grave and placed it at the head.

On the stone it read:

_Here lies the Hylian Warriors_

_Who devoted their lives to their queen_

_and country._

_May they rest in peace in the heavens._

Once all was accomplished, everyone gathered around the grave and stood in silence. A sense of sorrow and grief passed over all that looked upon it. Mystia could feel a tightness in her heart from the pain she felt. She could only imagine the families of the soldiers who had fought bravely and how horrified they would be when they find out what became of them.

Impa was the first to break the silence.

"Let us remember these men," she spoke calmly, "for their courage and devotion to their queen and all of Hyrule. They fought with their lives until the end. They have the highest respects for their bravery. Let us remember them as the mightiest warriors of the land."

The Sheikah placed a hand on the cold surface of the stone.

"Rest in peace, great warriors," she continued. "May you celebrate alongside the goddesses in joy and happiness."

Mystia thought what Impa said was beautiful, but she felt it wasn't enough. Then, she remembered a song that she sung back at Meladon with her people. It was a song they sang at funerals to give peace to themselves more than to the dead.

She began to sing:

_They suffered, they struggled, they fought for what's right._

_In this world, they felt pain, sorrow, and strife._

_Hear us, dear goddesses, hold them dearly._

_May the world remember what they have done here._

_May Nayru bring them love, May Farore bring strength._

_May Din have compassion in her warm embrace._

_May Her Grace welcome them in her arms this time._

_May the soldiers find peace for the rest of their lives._

Tears formed in everyone's eyes. Little Scrubs sniffled and rubbed his mouth.

"Well sung, miss," Femur said quietly as he patted her shoulder.

"I have heard that tune before," Impa said to Mystia with sadness. "Link long ago called it the 'Song of Healing'. Quite fitting, isn't it?"

Mystia nodded.

"Come, children," they heard the Great Deku Tree say.

After many tears were wiped away, the people slowly made their way to the front of the Great Deku Tree. They all stood in silence as they look upon the tree's face.

"All of you did well," he spoke. "Now, there is something I must speak about regarding the children of the forest."

With her green eyes still shimmering with tears, Saria stepped forward.

"Yes, Great Deku Tree?" she said.

"I have grave news," the tree responded. "Because you were possessed, your guardians could not protect you."

From within the Deku Tree's leafy top, all the different fairies floated down to meet with the children.

"They had to come to a decision," the great tree continued, "which, unfortunately, I fully agree to. Lavi the fairy can explain."

Saria's green fairy fluttered to the green-haired child.

"I'm...I'm sorry, Saria," she said sadly. She hesitated for a moment. "But we have no choice. You and your friends...need to...go back to the immortal world."

The Kokiri children gasped and protested.

"But we don't want to go!"

"This is our home!"

"We love it here!"

" Please don't make us go!"

"Children!" the Great Deku Tree shouted.

The Kokiri fell silent and only minor sobs were heard.

"Trust me that this was a tough decision to make," the tree spoke, "but the guardians believe that it would be safer for you."

"But what will become of the Forest Temple?" Saria asked. "I've watched over that temple for hundreds of years! Who will take my place?"

"It will be assigned to someone else," the Great Deku Tree informed her. "And Impa will tell you who it is."

Everyone turned to Impa who remained silent the whole time.

"The other sages and I have come to a decision on who will be the next Forest Sage," she said with a slight glance to Nabooru.

"The person has proven himself to be strong and resistant to darkness," the Gerudo finished.

_Sages!_ Mystia thought. _I never knew Impa was a sage. Or Nabooru!_

_Or that little girl,_ Caspen reminded. _She did say she has been watching over the Forest Temple for hundreds of years._

"Who is it, Impa?" Saria asked.

Impa looked over at Takaro. "Him."

Takaro looked back at her in shock.

"What?!" he said confused. "Me?!"

"All of us believe you are capable of the task," Nabooru replied. "You have proven yourself when the white shadow had taken over your body. People like you would have been possessed already, but you stood strong against the force. It was the Sage of Light that had spared your life by putting the creature to sleep."

"Then, he watched as you guided Mystia here, too," Nabooru informed the boy. "From there, everything became a test of will and strength. The monster, he knew, would awaken from its sleep and try to take over you, but it was you who kept it at bay by using your magic for good."

"Then the monster awoke at the wrong time," Impa said.

"Causing chaos to thrash upon the Hylian Warriors," Mystia finished.

Takaro lowered his head.

"It...it was my fault," he whimpered. "I caused this to happen."

"No, Takaro," Nabooru assured. "It was my fault. I knew of the location of the Hylian rebel base. I was cursed and enslaved by the Dark King to do his bidding."

"None the less," Impa interjected, "the Sage of the Forest is chosen. Takaro, you are to be the new sage and guardian of the Forest Temple."

"I-I cannot accept this," Takaro still insisted. "I failed everyone in the end and wasn't strong enough to resist the evil that was within me! I almost killed you all!"

Saria walked over to the green-haired young man and gently scooped his hands within her own. She looked into his eyes and sincerely said, "Remember how much you fought the evil white shadow leader. Remember, too, how your heart burned with defiance as you struggled to break free from its power."

Takaro seemed deep in thought as if a strange power came over him.

"I...I remembered when I first met Mystia." he thought aloud in a daze. "I...I felt drawn to help her…"

Mystia could even recall the times that he's helped her:

"_Goodness, Mystia, one question at a time. My name is Takaro and I am from Hyrule. I've been following my instinct a lot lately and discovered you. I felt as if I had known you and that you were coming here, so I came here to meet with you. Now, I would be willing to tell you everything, but it would be too hard to explain. I also felt the need to protect you and make sure you get to Hyrule safely."_

"I have given her a lot of important information that would help Mystia in her quest in Clock Town and beyond…" Takaro continued.

Mystia did remember that as well:

_"Unfortunately," Takaro said grimly, "The white shadows are mysterious creatures that cause things to turn black and white. If they enter a person, they can possess them to do whatever they want. They also like things to be reverted to its natural state, like fish and rocks."_

The green haired boy continued to speak as his memories surfaced .He remembered saving Mystia's horse, Starfire, and returned the horse to the diety girl shortly after Mystia left Clock Town through Faron Woods…He had kept his evil uncle, Ashasti, from harming Mystia shortly after Mystia had arrived at Death Mountain to get the first stone from the Gorons...He told Mystia his secret as to why he became who he was and how.

"I also have wondered why I had felt drawn to her…" Takaro concluded. "Now I know."

Mystia knew as well:

_"All I know is there's a part of me that wants to help you. I'm not sure if it's instinct or just a calling. How I know your name is as much of a mystery to me as you think."_

Takaro's eyes lifted up as if he woke up from a dream and he looked into Saria's eyes again.

She quietly whispered, "Only those who are willing to fight for good even when being in the midst of evil are worthy of such an honor that we bestow on you."

The Sage of the Forest pulled a thick, green coin the size of her little hand from her pocket and handed it to him.

"This is the Forest Medallion," she told him. "This contains your power as a sage. Take care of it well."

Takaro stared into the object that the girl just handed him. His eyes seemed deep in thought, then he shook his head.

"I don't deserve this," he replied.

"No one deserves it, Takaro," Saria said. "It is a gift to have this."

Takaro looked into the coin more, then closed his hand around it and looked at the child.

"Thank you," he said with honor. "I will take care of it."

Mystia smiled. Now she finally understood Takaro and what he did. He had fought against the evil even when it was trying to control his soul. He hadn't given up, even at the end when good finally triumphed. He truly was worthy of the task of being the Sage of the Forest.

Saria turned away and walked to Mystia, who knelt down into the snow as the little girl approached.

"Thank you for all that you've done here, Oni Mystia," the child told her. "I won't forget you ever!"

The girl leaped into the deity's arms. The young warrior embraced her tightly as a mother would her own child.

"I'm going to miss you," Mystia said as she started to tear up.

"Me, too," Saria replied.

Both pulled away from each other and gazed into each other's eyes.

"You know," Saria spoke, "I do not have to see your face to know that you fight as well as Link does. If he were here, he would be so proud of what you're doing."

Mystia smiled back.

"Thank you," she told the girl.

Saria patted the deity's shoulder and returned to the children. She stood by and looked at the Great Deku Tree.

"Thank you, Great Deku Tree," she told him. "Thank you for being our father."

"Goodbye, children," the Great Deku Tree replied. "May you live in eternal peace."

All the fairies swirled around the Kokiri, letting fairy dust fall all around them. Mystia watched through wet eyes in awe as the children and their guardians began to fade away. The deity raised her hand and waved goodbye to the children. Saria waved back and smiled as they all disappeared.

"That was so sad!" Scrubs sniffled. "All those kids...now gone."

"It is a very sad shame, indeed," Femur sighed sadly and shook his head.

"Oni Mystia," The Great Deku Tree whispered.

With white eyes dimmed in sadness and her masked cheeks wet with tears, Mystia turned to the giant oak.

"You have been through much on your journey," he continued, "but it isn't over yet. There is still something you must find."

"The Master Sword?" Scrubs asked.

"Yes, little one," the tree replied.

"But what about Zelda?" Mystia asked.

"You must complete your mission," the Great Deku Tree told her strictly.

The tree suddenly groaned and gasped.

"What's wrong?" Scrubs asked worriedly.

"The tree is dying," Impa responded sadly.

"I had been poisoned by the monsters," the Great Deku Tree told them in short breaths. "I will not last long. Oni Mystia, you must go to the temple, place the stones on the altar, and play the Song of Time."

"The Song of Time?" Mystia said, puzzled.

"Play it...on the Ocarina of Time," the tree continued, "and the doors...will open. There, you will...find...what you...seek..."

With one final breath, the Great Deku Tree slowly turned gray and stood still.

* * *

><p>Scrubs: *crying* That's horrible! Those poor kids!<p>

Oni: *sniff*

Roecliff: Oni? Are you crying?

Oni: *shaking his head* No! I don't cry! I'm a deity! Deities don't cry! Why would you think such a stupid thing like that?

Izzy: Yes...*sniff* It is sad...The children had to leave their wonderful forest and live in the world of immortality.

Scrubs: *wails* Whaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Oni: *annoyed* Oh, give me a break! *wipes away tear*

Izzy: Not only that, but it appears that, once again, Takaro was really good after all! He was just possessed by the white shadow and forced to do all those things. And let's not forget the burial. Definitely a sad chapter...

Scrubs: *sobbing* And the Great Deku Treeeeeeee...

Izzy: Yes...he dies as well. A very emotional chapter. Now, there are other things to consider. Mystia was just told by the Great Deku Tree that she has to find the Master Sword instead of rescuing the Queen. Why? And what will happen next? Find out next chapter!

Oni: I know!

Roecliff: *quickly* R&R!


	40. Draw the Sword!

Izzy: Hey, we're back! We are getting so close, people!

Roecliff: What's more exciting is that she's even finished typing up this story!

Oni: Already?!

Izzy: Didn't take long.

Oni: But what about all that time you could have posted those chapter!?

Izzy: I have to get them edited, remember? And why are YOU so anxious about it?

Oni: ... nothing...

Izzy: Anyway, with the summary! *looks through list* Takaro is saved, Deku Tree died, Kokiri children leave the mortal world, and everyone's sad, blah blah blah...OKAY! Now Mystia is about to go finish her quest and break the curse on her-

Oni: AND ME!

Izzy:...yes, Oni, you too. So, what will she encounter? Will she make it to her destination? Find out in this chapter!

Disclaimer: I've been playing Twilight Princess for days! NOT ENOUGH! MUST. PLAY. MORE!

Oni: Have you been playing that when you should be working on your homework for school?!

Izzy: (*^-^) Guilty!

Roecliff: She doesn't own anything Zelda, by the way.

* * *

><p>Impa and Nabooru had decided that everyone should get a good rest before they travel to Hyrule Town, so the travelers went inside the Kokiri houses and tried to get some sleep for the night.<p>

Mystia, however, couldn't sleep. So much was on the deity's mind that it kept her awake.

First, it was the ranch. The place was so familiar to her. She could still hear the woman's humming in her head. She could still see the building structure in its ruined form. She couldn't understand why it meant so much to her.

Second was the memory of Ganondorf himself. How was it possible that she knew him when she had never met him before? Why did he want her dead? What did she ever do to deserve this treatment from him? Yet, there was his hideous face deviously smiling upon her. She could still hear him talk of revenge. His eyes burned with hatred and victory. She shivered at the thought.

Third was Zelda and the Hylian Warriors. All the warriors were slaughtered and Zelda taken captive. Mystia felt terrible! She couldn't even protect the Queen! It wasn't fair!

_Mystia,_ Caspen whispered. _Try not thinking about it for a while and try getting some sleep._

_I can't help it, Caspen,_ Mystia told him. _All those things that happened..._

_I understand,_ Caspen informed her, _but keeping it in the forefront of your mind is not going to help you right now._

Mystia knew he was right, but her heart said otherwise. She tried to think of happier thoughts to help her sleep. She could see her parents smiling down on her and Tiko greeting her with his usual wave and grin. She could just see the lights of her village home when she drifted off to sleep.

_Melody was standing inside a big room with a throne. She saw Zelda standing before her adorned in a royal dress of pink and a crown on her head. The Queen looked sad._

"_Young warrior," the woman spoke. "Beware. The beast will find you. If he does, you will die..."_

"_Zelda!" Melody cried._

"_Run, child! Run!" the Queen shouted._

_Suddenly, a rumble was felt underneath her feet. Out from behind Zelda appeared the beast with his terrible boar-like appearance. It grabbed the Queen with its paw and growled in laughter. Zelda screamed and struggled to get out of its grasp to no avail._

_Melody felt something appear in her hands and looked at them. __T__he same shield she had received from the dead king's grave __was in her right hand.__She__ held a sword of great beauty __in her left__. __Its __hilt was a deep indigo and the guard flared out like wings. The blade shined brilliantly and was very long, but not as long as the Double Helix Sword._

_She looked to the beast and __yelled__ as she charged at it._

_The beast laughed and swung his paw at her. Melody felt her body being thrown to the ground. She tried to get up, but a blade was shoved to her throat. She looked up and saw Ganondorf grinning with pride._

"_I will have my revenge!" he said as he pulled back his weapon and began to stab her._

_She heard a shout:_

"_MYSTIA!"_

Mystia sat up quickly with a yell. She noticed the beads of sweat on her head and her breathing was even harsher than she could remember it being. The dream felt more real than it did before!

_Mystia, it's okay!_ Caspen called out to her calmly. _It was just a dream. It's okay. Just breathe. Breathe..._

The girl found herself breathing normally again. She wiped her head with her arm and leaned her body against the wall with a heavy sigh.

_It...it felt so real,_ she told Caspen.

_I know,_ he replied. _I saw it, too. I even felt you tossing as well. Your body felt like it was going into panic mode._

_Caspen,_ Mystia whispered. _That dream...it's been awhile, but it was so similar. That thing wants me dead! Why? WHY?_

_Calm down, Mystia,_ Caspen told her. _You're going to make yourself hyperventilate again. Listen. I know this thing has been playing in your mind since the beginning of our adventure and something tells me that we will encounter it at some point. What you need to do is face it and learn not to be so afraid._

_How can I _not_ be afraid?_ Mystia told him. _That beast is so terrifying!_

_I never said that you shouldn't be afraid,_ Caspen mentioned. _I said that you shouldn't be _so_ afraid. It's okay to be scared. I know I am._

Mystia's eyes looked off in curiosity. _You? Scared?_

_Yes, _Caspen admitted. _I am as human as you are. No big surprise! Back to the point, though. I understand that it may be tough, but know that I'm here for you when you are afraid._

Mystia smiled gently. _Thanks, Caspen._

She could sense a smile in return.

_You know,_ the girl continued. _There is still one name I haven't called you yet._

_What? Deity Devil?_ Caspen joked.

_No,_ Mystia replied. _Friend._

She could feelwarmth pass over her body and mind after the last word she spoke.

_Friend,_ she heard Caspen say aloud, then he sounded dignified. _That's...that's touching..._

Mystia giggled.

"Mystia! Is everything okay in there!?" she heard a little squeaky voice shout from behind the door.

_Better go greet the little Deku before he decides to burst in here,_ Caspen told her.

Mystia stood up, picked up the Double Helix Sword, placed it in its sheath on her back, and headed outside the house. As she pulled her curtain door aside, she saw Scrubs looking up at her with worried yellow eyes.

"I'm okay, Scrubs," Mystia told the Deku. "I just had a nightmare, that's all."

"Good," the little Scrub sighed. "I was getting worried. We could hear your scream from the other side of the forest!"

"We were worried," the girl heard Impa say.

Mystia looked up and saw the others. Impa and Nabooru stood by the horses that were saddled with their traveling items. Femur and Fetch stood to the other side of them with smiles on their faces. The girl then noticed someone missing.

"Where's Takaro?" she asked.

"He went ahead to the town to investigate the area," Nabooru informed the deity. "We have to take more precaution when we get there. We will be closer to the greater enemy than we would like to be."

"Oni Mystia," Impa said. "May I have a word with you?"

Mystia looked at Impa curiously.

"Sure," she said and walked with Impa away from the group.

"The Great Deku Tree mentioned that you needed to go to the Temple of Light," Impa told her, "but if you seek the sword, then you have a problem. Only the Hero of Time can pull out the sword from its pedestal."

"Then...then why was Zelda so desperate to get it?" Mystia asked. "Did she even know?"

"She knew," Impa replied. "She didn't want to get the sword. She wanted to protect the stones. Her fear was that if the Dark King got a hold of them and the Ocarina of Time, then he would use them and destroy the sword. She really had hoped that Link would return to us someday and take the stones to get the Master Sword."

Impa sighed before continuing.

"Years have passed since then and there was no sign of him, yet she wouldn't give up. It would break her heart if she discovered that he was dead."

"You know what happened to him, don't you?" Mystia guessed in question.

"No, I do not," the Sheikah replied. "No one knows what happened to Link."

She paused in thought.

"On second thought," she said aloud, "the Sage of Light seemed a bit suspicious for the past several years."

"Who is the Sage of Light?" Mystia asked Impa.

"He is called Rauru," the red-eyed woman replied. "He is the oldest and wisest of all the sages. He can see and hear everything about Hyrule and its people. There were times that we asked him about when Link would return, but Rauru kept quiet about it all. It's possible he could know what really happened to Link."

"Where is he? Maybe I can talk to him," Mystia said with determination.

"You can't get to him, Mystia," the Sheikah told her. "He resides in the Chamber of Sages, which is inside the Sacred Realm. No one can just simply walk in there. The only way to get in is to pull the Master Sword from the pedestal in which, again, only Link can do."

"None the less," Mystia said to the Sheikah, "the Great Deku Tree wants me to go there. It's the only way to break the curse that's upon me. I have to open the doors."

The Sheikah woman sighed and looked deep into Mystia's bright white eyes as if she was searching for something. Then, she slowly nodded her head.

"Very well," she replied. "If you feel that you must, then I can't stop you. Here, take this."

The woman pulled out from behind her an object and held it out for Mystia to see. It was an ocarina glossed in blue with a gold band at the base of the mouthpiece. On the gold band was the Triforce symbol.

"Zelda gave this to me to protect," Impa mentioned. "She told me to be sure that you got it once you returned."

Mystia carefully picked up the ocarina. The weight was similar to the white ocarina she had. It also shined in the sunlight as if it had been polished. Tears formed in her eyes as she remembered her father, Garen.

"I will protect it with my life," Mystia said calmly.

"Now, I must teach you something else," Impa said back. "You now must learn the Song of Time."

Just like when she taught Mystia Zelda's Lullaby, she held up her fingers and played the song. It sounded peaceful, yet mysterious at the same time.

Mystia held up the Ocarina of Time to her lips and began playing the song. After she was done, the ocarina glowed and shined even brighter.

"Now, you know the Song of Time," Impa informed her.

The woman turned to the others who were several feet away.

"We should get moving," she called out. "We must head for the temple and fast. We've already lost too much time."

Mystia and Femur mounted on Starfire, Scrubs climbed on Fetch, and Impa hopped onto the other horse with Nabooru. They raced the animals out of the woods and took off to the north.

Snow continued to fall, creating a new blanket of white on the ground. Hooves and paw prints disturbed the blanket and left behind a trail.

Mystia pondered on what she would do once the curse was broken. Would she boldly storm the castle and save Zelda? Would she fight a big battle against monsters? Would she encounter Ganondorf himself? That thought made her uneasy.

_Think about this,_ Caspen spoke up. _What would it be like to be you again?_

Mystia grinned.

_Wow,_ she thought. _I can't even imagine what I'd be like as a normal-sized Hylian now._

_I can't even imagine what it's like to have a body,_ Caspen mentioned. _I mean, to go without food, to see through someone's eyes, and to be inside someone's body. That's going to be a big adjustment!_

_I guess we'll have to find out,_ Mystia replied.

The sun had just risen high in the sky, but dark clouds formed above them as they approached the gates to the city before them. The steeds came to a halt and the companions sat there and stared at the place.

"The only place where darkness remains," Impa pointed out. "Welcome to Hyrule Castle Town."

Parts of the stone walls were chipped and broken and the draw bridge appeared old and beaten. The dark clouds added to the eeriness, which made Mystia's heart race so much that her hands trembled. She climbed off her horse and looked at her sadly as she rubbed the side of the mare's neck.

"I go alone from here, girl," she whispered. "You have to find another place to hide out until this is over."

The horse nudged at the girl's head in reply.

"This place looks even more scary than when the white shadows were around," Scrubs shivered and his body rattled.

"I will attest to that," Femur agreed. "It sure does have a creepiness to it, doesn't it?"

Once everyone else dismounted their horses, Nabooru approached her steed and began to whisper into its ear. In response, the horse neighed to Starfire and both horses took off to the west.

The people gazed into the town as they made their way inside. The buildings were blackened and pieces of glass from broken windows were scattered on the ground. The cobblestone path was smeared with soot and slightly splattered in blood. The wind howled between the alleys of the town and the sound of crows was heard above them. The place looked more like a ghost town.

Up ahead was Takaro. As everyone approached, the new sage raised his hand.

"This place is infested with soldiers and monsters," he informed the group. "Some of them even block the entrance to the temple."

"We have to get past them," Mystia spoke in determination.

"Takaro, Nabooru and I will distract them," Impa jumped in. "Mystia, you and your friends can fight the monsters blocking the temple. From there, you know what to do."

Takaro and Impa began sneaking to the square. Nabooru turned to Mystia.

"You will need this, giant deity," the Gerudo said as she pulled out something from behind her and handed it to Mystia.

It was the Stone of the Forest.

"Sorry I didn't give it to you before," she told the deity. "And whatever I did to you and your friends, I am truly sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Mystia assured. "I've been through worse than what your possessed form did."

The Gerudo grinned and pulled out her scimitars.

"Good luck, Oni Mystia," she said as she took off after the others.

Mystia looked to Femur. "Which way from here?"

"There are different ways to get to the temple," the British-speaking Stalfos reported. "This way."

He led Mystia, Scrubs and Fetch down one of the alleys. As they passed one alley to the square, Mystia couldn't help but glance down it. She caught enough of what was happening to confirm Takaro's statement. The place was, indeed, infested! She could catch glimpses of the sages fighting the monsters that were there. She wondered if they would be able to survive.

_They're sages,_ Caspen assured her. _They got magic. They can handle it easily, I'm sure!_

The group went through twists and turns of the place until they exited right nearby a large building. The place looked like a dark cathedral and appeared untouched by anything evil. At the doors of the building were two Stalfos and a Bulokoblin.

"There's the temple," Femur told them.

"And we have intruders," Mystia said aloud.

She pulled her weapon off her back and charged at the temple.

The Stalfos took notice and raised their swords in protest. They charged down the stairs and across the lawn, but Mystia's sword was faster, and with one strike, quickly extinguished them into smoke. The Bulokoblin growled and raised its spear and shield in anger. The deity girl leaped in the air and spun over the dog-headed monster and stabbed its spine. The creature fell and disappeared into a puff of smoke.

"WOW, Mystia!" Scrubs declared excitedly. "That was fantastic!"

"Come on," Mystia commanded. "Let's get inside."

Mystia shoved the doors to the temple open and all four travelers walked inside.

The inside felt peaceful. The walls were made of pure white stones and the windows a clear glass. A red carpet stretched out before them across the black and white tiles. On the other side of the room was an altar lined in blue stone. The room seemed unnaturally lit. A set of stairs lead up from behind the altar and further on was a giant stone door with a bird symbol upon it. The Triforce symbol was engraved in its lintel.

Mystia breathed in the calmness that the temple gave off. She felt safe within its walls.

"Ooooo..." Scrubs awed. "This place is beautiful!"

"By my phalanges," Femur stated in amazement.

Without a word Mystia walked to the altar. On it were three carved holes and a script:

_Ye who own three Spiritual Stones_

_Stand with the Ocarina of Time_

_and play the Song of Time_

Quietly, Mystia pulled the three stones from her magic pouch and placed them on the altar. Then, she pulled out the Ocarina of Time and began to play the soothing melody. It echoed through the building as if it called out to something. She took in the beauty of the music and her heart eased in peace; it was something she hadn't felt in a long time. The song was done and she placed the ocarina back in her pouch. She glanced up at the Triforce, which began to glow a bright gold. Suddenly, she heard a crack. She quickly looked in front of her and grabbed for her blade. The stone door cracked in the middle, then separated to reveal a hidden room. Easing her hand on the hilt, she walked up the stairs and into the hallway. The others walked behind her.

They entered a large room with a pentagon shaped platform with stairs leading up to it. A light from a stained-glass window shined down on the center of the platform.

On the platform was a blade embedded in a pedestal. The hilt was indigo and the guard swooped downward like wings. It gleamed in the light with a mysterious power.

_That blade!_ Mystia gasped. _That blade was in my dream!_

"The Master Sword," Femur spoke in a whisper. "The Legendary Blade of Evil's Bane."

_That's the Master Sword?!_ Caspen exclaimed. _It looks...intimidating!_

"We did it, Mystia!" Scrubs cheered. "We found it! Now, your curse will be broken!"

Mystia stepped forward toward the sword.

_AAHHH!_ Caspen shouted.

_Wha...What's wrong?_ Mystia asked, horrified by Caspen's exclamation.

_It...It hurts!_ He grunted. _The sword is doing something!_

Mystia kept walking to the blade. As she walked up the steps, she began to feel the effects as well. The pain shot through her and she felt as if her body was going to be pulled apart. Her steps became slower as she forced herself to reach for the blade.

"Mystia, what is it?" Scrubs shouted.

"It's...the sword," Mystia grunted. "It's...taking effect."

Her pale hand was close to the hilt.

_Mystia, stop!_ Caspen cried. _It's too much! What if it kills me...or you?!_

_We...we have to try,_ Mystia groaned inside.

_Please, Mystia! Stop!_ Caspen shouted again.

_Just a little closer..._ Mystia said as she stretched her hand closer to the sword.

_MYSTIA!_ Caspen growled in pain.

The sword began to glow as the girl nearly touched it.

_Come on!_ She growled in frustration. _Just...grab...the...hilt!_

With every ounce of strength she had, she thrust her hand forward and grabbed the hilt.

Suddenly, a blue whirlwind spun around her with great speed. Mystia now really felt like she was being torn apart. She grasped the hilt with both hands and held tight. The sound of Caspen's scream rang loudly in her head. Mytia's body was in such pain from the force inside her and all around her.

_Make it stop!_ She cried to herself. _Please, goddesses! Make it stop!_

_Draw the sword! _Echoed out a voice.

It didn't sound like Caspen, but it did sound familiar. The voice was deep, calm and strict.

_Pull it, child!_ It called out again. _Draw the sword!_

Mystia was uncertain about it. Impa did say only the Hero of Time could pull the weapon out of its pedestal. However, she obeyed the voice. With every last ounce she had left, she pulled on the hilt.

Then, she felt the sword lift out of the pedestal.

* * *

><p>Scrubs: WAIT?! WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!<p>

Oni: I DIDN'T DIE! I DON'T WANT TO DIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!

Izzy: Oooooooo! Guess what, guys! If you haven't guessed by now, then TOO BAD FOR YOU! It appears right now that Oni and Mystia are being torn apart by the sword's power. Will they survive? What was the voice Mystia heard? What about the sword? Why did it lift out?

Everyone: Tell us!

Izzy: Find out next chapter!

Oni: Oh, come on!

Roecliff: You are so mean!

Izzy: R&R folks! Tell me what you think now!


	41. The Legend Unfolds

Roecliff: Hey everybody! How's it going? If you are wondering what happened to Izzy, well...

Izzy: UNTIE ME, ONI! THIS ISN'T FUNNY!

Oni: Not my fault that you took forever to type this chapter up!

Scrubs: YEAH! You left us all in suspense! Then, you haven't posted in forever!

Izzy: It's only been like...two weeks? Anyway, this is ridiculous! Besides, I do have a life outside of fanfiction!

Everyone: *gasp* NO!

Izzy: For heaven's sake, I have a job! On top of that, I go to school now!

Scrubs: During the summer?

Izzy: It's called college...

Roecliff: So, while our dear authoress is being interrogated, I will be filling in for her. So the summary is that Mystia and company have made it to the Temple of Time and found the legendary Master Sword. She was about to reach for it when Caspen started to feel intense pain...and soon, did she. Then she hears a mysterious voice telling her to pull the sword out of the pedestal. She pulls and the sword comes out! What happens? Find out in this chapter?

Disclaimer: The authoress doesn't own anything Zelda except for merchandise and OC's.

* * *

><p><em>Everything seemed hazy. The girl felt her body separate from something. Through blurry eyes, she saw a mask. The Fierce Deity Mask! Then, she saw it glow and a blast of energy spewed from it. The energy took shape of a body...<em>

The girl's eyes fluttered open. She felt so exhausted! She sat up slowly while holding her head from dizziness. She groaned heavily before glancing around.

The room she was in appeared strange. The walls looked like they were made of dark blue light falling down into a dark abyss. Ghost-like pillars were scattered around in different heights and beams of light from above shined down on every one of them. The girl even looked down and saw she was standing on a blue, pentagon shaped platform. Underneath where she stood was a symbol of the golden Triforce. Surrounding her were also six symbols of which only three she recognized. Her gaze stopped as she caught sight of something a foot away from her.

It was a boy that looked about her age and wearing a crisp, white tunic and cap. His back was to her, but his hands were raised above his head and his head was tilted upward to what he was holding in his hands: the Fierce Deity Mask.

"I'm...I'm free," the boy spoke in a familiar voice. "I'm free of this mask!"

"Caspen?" the girl spoke quietly.

The boy froze for a moment, and then turned around slowly.

Melody's eyes widened slightly as she beheld his features. His skin was fair. Pointed ears stuck out from underneath the mess of wild, black hair that caressed his face. But what she noticed the most were his shining eyes. They were mostly silver in color but they also had hints of sky blue specks which seem to twinkle. But they were deep, serious, and yet, sincere and gentle. Mystia had never seen such dazzling features. He was truly handsome!

The boy looked at her with calm surprise.

"Melody," he responded.

The girl nodded while still looking at him in shock.

Caspen stood there for a moment before smiling mischievously.

"What's the matter?" he teased. "Am I that stunning to you?"

Melody shook her head to help her focus and looked at Caspen with embarrassment.

"Sorry," she apologized, "I was just...surprised by your appearance."

"I don't get that compliment every day," the boy grinned.

Melody giggled.

"However," Caspen continued, "you should be more surprised by your appearance."

The girl hadn't thought about it. She had been so caught up by Caspen's looks that she didn't even find out how she appeared. She looked down at her body and noticed that she wasn't in her skirt and blouse like she expected to be.

Instead, she was wearing a deep green tunic that appeared worn with age, but still sturdy and tough. She saw her hands were covered by brown, fingerless gloves and her legs had white tights and brown boots. She also felt something on her back. She reached behind her and pulled out two objects.

One she recognized as the same Hylian Shield that she had been using during her entire adventure. The other was the Master Sword that she had pulled out from the pedestal. She then caught her reflection in the blade of her new found weapon. Her features were the same as she remembered them before she had put on the Fierce Diety Mask: the dark red hair, the deep blue eyes, and her unpainted skin! Her heart leaped with joy.

"I'm...I'm me!" she said as she got more excited. "I'm me again! Oh, Nayru! Thank you! Tha-"

She paused as she realized something. She held up the sword to look at. How was she able to pull it out?

"Caspen?" she spoke. "I pulled out the Master Sword. I thought only the Hero of Time can pull out the Master Sword."

"So did I," Caspen replied. He seemed just as confused as she was.

"That can be explained," echoed a voice from behind them.

Both teens turned around and spotted a figure standing on one of the symbols. Their eyes widened in surprise.

The figure was wearing a floor-length, deep red robe. His face was wrinkled from time and age but the teens could see how gentle his blue eyes were. He had a white mustache and white hair around his head, which left a bald spot at the top of his round head.

"Who are you?" Caspen asked.

"I am Rauru, the Sage of Light," the old man replied.

"Rauru!" Caspen exclaimed. "You're the Sage that Impa mentioned!"

"Indeed, I am the same," the old Sage spoke.

Melody could barely talk.

"You..." she hesitated. "I...I've seen you before..."

"You would vaguely remember me, Melody," Rauru responded. "You were very young when you last saw me."

"So, you _do_ know her," Caspen clarified.

"It all started when you were a baby," Rauru told Melody. "Your mother was watching over you when your home was attacked by monsters. Ganondorf attempted to kill you by throwing you into your burning home, but he failed. I came and rescued you from the fiery flames and brought you to Meladon to be protected."

"But, Rauru," Melody jumped in, "why did he want to kill me?! I don't understand. What became of my mother?! Where was my father?! WHO AM I!?"

"Calm down, young one," the sage said as he raised his hands in defense. "Everything will be answered...by you."

"By me?!" Melody exclaimed. "That doesn't make any sense! Please, Rauru! Please! Tell me what is going on!"

"You already know," Rauru informed her. "Just think back to all that has happened already. What do you know?"

Reluctantly, Melody sighed and thought for a moment.

"Well," she said aloud, "I know that my parents were Hylian. I'm somehow connected to some kind of destiny as the Great Deku Tree told me. I somehow know the Dark King Ganondorf personally and the fact that he wants me dead for revenge for some unknown reason. I know Lon Lon Ranch seemed familiar to me and that I pulled out the Master Sword even though only the Hero of Time—"

Then, everything began to click in her mind. _She_ was able to pull out the sword. The baby blanket had burnt marks on it and the Triforce mark. Darunia said that only _one_ person beside the Royal Family carried the Royal Family symbol. Many have told her that she seemed familiar to them even though they had never met her. She recognized the burnt down ranch.

"Is it really possible?" she asked aloud. "Is it?"

"Yes, Melody," Rauru confirmed. "It is."

Somehow, deep down inside, Melody knew all along, but she had trouble believing it. Her knees caved in and she fell on them in shock. Tears formed in her eyes.

"Then I'm..." she hesitated. "I'm...I'm Link's daughter..."

"What?!" Caspen exclaimed.

"I'm the Hero of Time's daughter," she said again. "It makes sense now. The dreams. The visions. The familiarity. It all connects. It all makes sense! But..." She looked up at Rauru. "But...then...where's my mother? What happened to her? Is she alive?"

The Sage lowered his head sadly.

"She is," he replied. "However, she's being held captive by the King of Evil."

"The King of Evil," she muttered.

Anger began to curl around her heart. He had her mother! He had Zelda! He tried to kill her all in the name of revenge! She now understood why he has hunted her down for years. He wanted to be sure she was dead! He didn't want anyone to stop him from taking Hyrule for himself!

_Why that confounded, disgusting, murderous pig!_ She thought with fury. _When I see him, I want to—_

"MELODY!" Rauru shouted.

She looked up at him with tears burning on her cheeks.

"Revenge on him is not the answer," he said sternly. "You must put it away from your mind and focus."

"WHY?!" she shouted. "He tried to kill me! He destroyed everything I had! He's killed thousands of people!"

"Then let others carry revenge, not you!" Rauru scolded loudly. "Your destiny cannot function with vengeance!"

Melody was surprised. She felt as if she was being scolded by her father. Her anger simmered down and guilt took its place as she lowered her head in shame.

"You need to keep your head clear and your heart strong," the Sage said calmly. "You are to take your father's place and save Hyrule from Ganondorf's tyranny. That is your destiny; your destiny as the Heroine of Light."

"This isn't fair!" Caspen exclaimed. "You can't make her do that! Let her choose her destiny!"

"This isn't something she can choose to do, Caspen," the sage informed the boy. "It is also not your place to choose what she can or cannot do."

"But—" Caspen started.

"He's right, Caspen," Melody agreed as she stood to her feet and placed her weapon and shield on her back. "It isn't something I choose. It's something I have to do. Even if it were my choice, I am willing to do it for the sake of Hyrule."

Caspen turned his head away in anger and growled.

"There is one other thing you must see," Rauru spoke up.

Melody turned to the Sage of Light as he turned to one of the platforms.

A door appeared on the platform, which opened; and a great light shown from it. Then, a path of rainbow colors appeared that connected the platform that they stood on to the door.

"Some unanswered questions you might find in there," the old sage told the girl.

"What's inside?" Melody asked as she stared at the door.

"Maybe you should find out," Rauru replied.

She wasn't sure on how to take his reply, but she was determined...and curious. She approached the bridge, then stopped. She turned back and looked at Caspen.

"Are you coming?" she asked curiously.

Caspen was about to step forward when Rauru spoke.

"Actually, I need to talk to your friend here," Rauru stated. "And besides, I believe this is something you must seek on your own."

"But..." Melody started.

"Go on without me," Caspen quickly interrupted. "I'll see you when you come back."

She stared at him curiously, then reluctantly turned her attention back to the bridge.

Its transparency made her nervous as she slowly placed her food on it. Relieved that it was solid, she made her way across. Slowly, she approached the doorway and went inside.

* * *

><p>Roecliff: The word is out! Mystia, or Melody now, is the HERO OF TIME'S DAUGHTER!<p>

Everyone: YAY!

Izzy: ...Yes...

Roecliff: Not only that, but this Rauru has something to show her in that mysterious room. What could be inside? Find out next chapter!

Oni: *growling* So, when are you going to post this next chapter?

Izzy: Well, first I have to give my next chapter to my beta, who edits it for me. Then, we will go back and forth on stuff until we finally get the final draft. Then, I will bring it here and add all this commentary and summary of you guys and THEN post it.

Scrubs: How long will that take?

Izzy: Good question!

Oni: WE WANT AN ANSWER!

Izzy: I have one name for you, Oni...Demon Princess of Time.

Oni: 'O.O ...

Izzy: *grinning* R&R people!


	42. What Melody Found

Izzy: I'm back! See?

Oni: See? You DO have enough time!

Izzy: Well, today, I did, but that's besides the point!

Scrubs: Just go on with it! I want to know what happens next!

Izzy: Hold your horses! I'm getting to it! So, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your wonderful comments. Already, you guys hate me! Well...you're only going to hate me more! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA! *thunderclap*.

Roecliff: Here we go again!

Izzy: So, Melody has finally discovered (on her own, mind you) that she is the Hero of Time's daughter! WOOT! Not only that, but who agrees with me that Caspen looks AWESOME in this story?

Oni: Don't push it!

Izzy: Now! What will she discover in that mysterious room? FIND OUT...in this chapter!

Disclaimer: If I had the Ocarina of time, I would try to stop this storm!

Roecliff: The Ocarina of Time would START the storm!

Izzy: Yes, but it would end quicker!

Oni: How come you don't really disclaim anything anymore?

Izzy: Everyone knows by now that I don't own Zelda! Gee! It's starting to get annoying when I say it a bazillion times!

* * *

><p>The space was bright as if Melody was standing within a yellow and white sky. Underneath her was shallow water that didn't even reach the top of her feet. Confused and amazed, she looked around. The whole place seemed to stretch out as if there was no end. Then, in a far distance, she saw something.<p>

Something...or someone...was fading in very slowly, but also staggering toward her. She squinted her eyes to figure out what it was. Soon enough, the vision began to clear.

It was a male Hylian wearing a white tunic and cap. She knew it couldn't be Caspen as the figure had blonde hair. He was slowly making his way toward her and his face looked tired. Then, she saw his eyes: a deep blue, thoughtful and kind...

_Just like mine,_ she thought in shock.

There was no mistake as to whom it was. Her own eyes welled up with more tears.

"Link..." she breathed softly.

The Hylian looked at her closely.

"Malon, is that you?" he asked with a slightly deep voice echoing around them.

Melody shook her head.

"No," she choked. "It's me."

Link looked deeper into her eyes. Then, his eyes widened in realization.

He was so astonished that his voice almost cracked as he whispered, "Melody?"

The girl couldn't hold it back any longer. The tears that welled up now fell like rain as she started crying. She embraced him in a hug and sobbed into the shoulder of the hero himself.

"Father..." she said through tears of joy.

She felt Link's arms wrap around her tightly. Her shoulder also soon became wet with his tears.

"My Melody," he whispered. "You're alive! I was so worried about you and your mother. Thank the goddesses you're okay!"

He placed a kiss on her head and both of them pulled back to look at each other. His smile was small, but joyful.

"Day and night, I have waited to find out that you both would be safe. Tell me! How's your mother?"

Melody lowered her head.

"I...I don't know," she replied. 'I've never met her. Rauru said that she's being held captive by Ganondorf. That's all I know."

Link's smile faded as he turned his face away and closed his eyes. His face stiffened in anger.

"Why that tyrant!" he grumbled. "How dare he mess with my family!"

He looked back at her and his face relaxed.

"What happened with you, though?" the Hero of Time asked her. "How did you and your mother separate?"

"Ganondorf showed up at our home," Melody told him. "He burned down our ranch, took my mother prisoner, and threw me in the fire. Rauru rescued me and sent me to a village called Meladon."

Link listened quietly as she told her story about her adventures, the friends she made, the enemies she encountered, and the places she went. She even told him about the Fierce Deity Mask and Link was surprised that the voice he heard years ago was actually a person.

"I thought that it was a real deity talking to me," he told the girl. "This whole time, I never knew he was human. Otherwise, I would have helped him somehow."

The girl continued on until she reached the part where she pulled out the sword.

Link nodded his head sadly.

"I'm sorry that you had to go through all that," the hero told her. "This was not the life I had intended for you. I wanted so much more for—"

He stopped suddenly and grunted as he fell on his knees and grasped his side.

"Father, what's wrong?!" the girl gasped.

"My side," he winced. "My whole body. It's in much pain."

Melody knelt down and looked at the hero's side as he removed his hand. Horror and shock stabbed her heart as she saw a huge black gash in the upper part of Link's side.

"What in Farore's Wind happened?!" she exclaimed.

"Ganondorf," Link muttered.

"How?" the girl asked.

The Hero of Time sighed.

"It started just after you were born," he began. "Zelda had asked me to go on a mission to a village that had been attacked by an unknown force. I started heading that way when Saria spoke to me through the wind. She said that the Great Deku Tree wanted to see me before I left. I went to the Kokiri Forest where he told me that this would be my last adventure. I didn't understand what he meant by that, but he never explained it to me. Then, he sent someone with me that wanted to partake in my quest."

"Who?" Melody asked.

"Her name was Navi," Link replied. "Navi the fairy. She was an old friend from childhood that I haven't seen in years. She wanted to join me for the last time, so we went to the village. There we saw strange creatures through the lens of truth. They were white with beady red eyes...the white shadows, you called them...I fought them off with Navi's help and soon dispelled them."

"How?" the girl asked. "I know that light and energy can kill them."

"I used the mirror shield to reflect the light on them," Link replied. "It destroyed them immediately."

_That could explain the dark clouds that hovered everyplace the white shadows were,_ Melody thought. _It was to defend them from the light._

"Afterward," Link continued, "Navi and I were on our way back home. I couldn't wait to get back to see you and your mother. Then, something happened..."

* * *

><p><em>Link was riding through the woods on Epona with his friend, Navi, floating right next to him. They were on their way back to Hyrule with lifted hearts.<em>

"_Navi," the young Hylian spoke, "I'm glad you came with me."_

_The blue fairy glowed brighter in a blush._

"_Oh, it's nothing," she said sheepishly in her child-like voice. "It has been a long time, though."_

"_I still don't understand something," the man continued. "We had good times together on our adventure through time. Why did you leave me?"_

_Navi sighed sadly._

"_I...It's hard to explain..." she hesitated._

"_Please tell me," Link begged._

"_Well," she began nervously, "when you grew up, I...I didn't think you needed me...or even wanted me anymore."_

"_What are you talking about?" Link said with surprise at what she told him. "Of course, I wanted you. I actually missed having you with me. I couldn't understand why you left. I've actually searched high and low for you. I even found myself in another world trying to find you."_

_The fairy glowed brighter. "Really?"_

_The Hylian halted Epona and looked up at the fairy._

"_Navi, you're my best friend," Link assured her. "You were there for me when I needed you. We've been through thick and thin, even through time! I couldn't have gotten far without you."_

_The fairy floated down to Link as he held out his hand for her to land on._

"_You really mean it?" she asked._

"_That's a promise," the Hylian smiled._

_Navi glowed brighter._

"_Good," she said. "Now, let's get to Hyrule and_—_"_

_Just then, Link's horse snorted and lifted her legs._

"_Whoa! Epona!" Link said in surprise as he tried to calm her down. "Easy, girl! Steady!"_

_But the mare still protested. With a loud neigh she reared up on her back legs and kicked her front legs up into the air. Link lost hold of the reigns and fell off backwards to the ground. The horse then took off deeper into the woods._

"_Epona! Wait!" Link shouted as he jumped up, but the horse went out of sight. "What got into her?"_

_Suddenly, his left hand vibrated. He looked at it and saw the Triforce of Courage glowing brilliantly._

"_What in Farore_—_" he started._

"_LINK! WATCH OUT! BEHIND YOU!" Navi shouted in fear._

_Link turned his head to look back, but not in time to react to what came next. A dark blade shot out of nowhere and stabbed him in the upper side of his right ribcage. The hero screamed in pain as his body took in the deep stab from the dagger. It was pulled out and Link collapsed on the ground while clutching for his side. His body suddenly began to feel so weak that he couldn't reach behind him to grab his sword._

_He then heard a chuckle...a familiar chuckle._

_His weary blue eyes looked up and saw a dark-skinned man with a longish nose, red hair, and bright red eyes. The man's white teeth smiled sinisterly._

"_Hello again...hero..." the man smirked._

"_Ganondorf..." Link grunted._

"_It is so good to see you again," the Gerudo continued, "...for the last time." _

"_How did you get out!?" Link glared._

"_I don't think that quite matters to you at the moment," Ganondorf mentioned with an amused smile._

_The dark man raised the dagger into the moonlight and the blood-covered blade shined._

"_Beautiful tool, isn't it?" the Gerudo lord continued. "I had this specially designed for you. This dagger has the ability to carry only one spell...one curse: the Curse of Long Suffering." He looked down at the hero with his eyes gleaming in victory. "Whoever I stab with this dagger_ _will suffer many days of pain until the poison eventually kills them. Unfortunately, I can only use this curse once, so I thought that I might use it on the one person I despised the most." _

_The man knelt down and grabbed Links face and yanked it upward so that they were now face-to-face._

"_So, now you can suffer the same pain I have suffered before you sealed me away in that Sacred Realm!" he growled with pride. "The same agonizing pain that still hangs over me for all these years of your happy life!"_

"_Why, you PIG!" Navi shouted and flew towards the dark man._

_The Gerudo released Link's face and caught the fairy in his hand. He squeezed the fairy inside, who squeaked in pain, then he flung her toward a tree. The poor blue glow slammed hard into the trunk and fluttered down._

"_NO!" Link cried out as he tried to reach the tiny creature._

_Ganondorf kicked the hero hard in the side to stop him. More pain shot through Link's body and he grunted loudly._

"_I always hated fairies," the man said with a roll of his eyes._

"_You won't win, Ganondorf," Link hissed. "Someone will stop you!"_

"_Oh, yes!" Ganondorf said in amusement. "Thank you for reminding me. I did make a solemn oath before you locked me away: as long as the Triforce was in my hands, your descendants will perish." His smile grew mischievously. "And if I recall correctly, you and your wife had a child recently."_

_Link's eyes widened in fear. _How did he know that?

_After all," the thief continued, "the hero's bloodline must continue. I did need to find a way to dispose of you first, so I had a little bit of...assistance in a certain village."_

_The hero realized what he meant._

"_You sent those monsters!" he gritted._

"_It got you away from home," Ganondorf smiled deviously. "And now that you will be dead soon, it's time that I get rid of the last stumbling block in my path."_

_The Hylian's eyes widened in horror._

No!_ he thought. _He means my daughter!

"_No!" the hero shouted. "Leave my child out of this!"_

"_Or what?" the Gerudo challenged. "Kill me? Try if you can. As long as that curse is upon you, there's no way you can defeat me, let alone protect your precious little girl. Soon, you will die knowing the death of your child as well. Then, I will gain the whole Triforce for myself and the world will be mine for all eternity!"_

_The man laughed with evil_ _as he turned and disappeared into the woods._

No, not Melody!_ Link said with tears in his eyes._

"_Link," said a soft, weak voice._

_The young Hylian looked toward the dim, blue glow lying on the ground. With all his strength, he pulled his weary, painful body over to the fairy. Her wings appeared crushed and the body was more visible to reveal what appeared to be a little girl in a blue dress. She seemed in a lot of pain._

"_Navi, are you okay?" the hero asked worriedly as he carefully picked up the little fairy into his hands._

"_I..."Navi said weakly. "I'm...sorry. I couldn't...protect you...from him..."_

"_No, Navi," Link assured her. "Don't be sorry. Everything is going to be...okay."_

_He groaned with his own pain._

"_Link..." she said, getting quieter as she spoke. "Thank you...for being...my...friend..."_

_The glow vaporized and the little body became lifeless in Link's hands._

"_Navi?" Link whispered sadly and he began to cry._

_He cradled the little fairy in his hands. His own companion...now dead by the hands of evil. Soon, he would die as well._

_Then, his thoughts went to his only child. She would be killed! He couldn't let anything happen to her. He had to get to Hyrule and fast. He laid down the little fairy and tried to push himself up, but the curse on him weighed him back down. He fell on his back and cried out in pain as tears fell on his face. His child...he couldn't give up...but the pain...it was too much..._

My child,_ he thought over and over again._

"_BY THE GODDESSES!" he cried out at the top of his lungs. "DEAR FARORE! HAVE MERCY! MY CHILD! MY CHILD!"_

_Then, a great white light surrounded him. Before him stood Rauru the Sage of Light. The old man shook his head sadly._

"_Link," he said. "There is nothing that the sages or I can do. The curse you have is unbreakable. I am sorry."_

"_Rauru," Link grunted weakly. "Don't try to help me. My daughter's in danger! Please! Help her! I __would rather die to know that she was safe from harm."_

_The sage nodded and placed his hand on Link's head._

"_I promise you that your child will be safe," he informed the wounded hero. "That much I can do for you. I shall see to it that you will see her again."_

* * *

><p>"Then, I blacked out," Link concluded. "I envisioned horrible things about you and I almost doubted that Rauru would ever carry out his promise."<p>

Melody's eyes were filled with tears.

_That horrible man!_ She thought in spite. _He did this to him...my own father! How could he!_

The girl felt a hand touch her wet cheek and she looked down at the hero's smiling face.

"Now," he continued, "after many years of wondering, I finally get to see you all grown up." Tears swelled in his eyes. "I'm sorry I never got to experience life with you as a father...and for all the things you have suffered. This was not at all what I wanted for you. This curse has been a burden on me...to the point that...I couldn't even protect my own family."

"Don't feel bad," Melody choked. "It wasn't your fault. No one knew this would happen. I'm...I'm just glad I was able to meet you...and I am honored to be your daughter."

The hero lowered his hand and, with his left hand, took Melody's left hand and squeezed it tightly.

"In your stead," the girl continued. "I will save Hyrule from Ganondorf...and be the Heroine of Light. That's a promise."

Link's whole face lit up and his blue eyes gleamed in joy.

"Then take this," he told her. "You will need this to defeat the King of Evil."

Suddenly, Melody's hand that held the hero's vibrated. The male Hylian released her hand to let her look at it. When she glanced to it, she gasped. Upon the back of her hand was the Triforce symbol! The bottom-left triangle glowed brighter than the other two parts.

"The Triforce of Courage," she awed.

She heard Link groan and she noticed that the wounded man had lain down on the ground. Melody crept toward him. His face had turned pale and he looked more worn than before. His eyes began to dim in color as they looked at her solemnly.

"I...I love you, Melody..." he spoke slowly.

"I love you, too...father," Melody replied sadly.

"My time as hero has ended," he breathed. "My life here...is but a passing vapor now. It is time...that I turn...to the heavens..."

A single tear fell from his eyes.

"My dear daughter..." Link whispered. "Tell your mother...when you see her...that I...love her..."

Then, the Hero of Time's eyes closed and a final breath left his lips.

More tears fell from Melody's eyes as she collapsed on the dead hero's chest. Sobs rang out loud and clear from the girl. After many years of wondering and many months of searching, she finally met her father...on his deathbed. This was not the reunion she had hoped for and she wished that he were alive and well. She wanted him to hug her again and give her another kiss. She wanted to hear from him about his adventures. She wanted to learn about him. Now, there was no chance. He was gone...for good.

She raised her head up and looked into Link's face. It was now pale in death. She lifted his body into her arms and cradled him as she sang with her rough voice:

_He suffered he struggled, he fought for what's right._

_In this life, he felt pain, sorrow and strife._

_Hear me, dear goddesses, hold him dearly._

_May the world remember what he has done here._

_May Nayru bring him love, May Farore bring strength._

_May Din have compassion in her warm embrace._

_May Her Grace welcome him in her arms this time._

_May the hero...May my father...have peace..._

The words became lost as she cried more into Link's head.

"Oh, father!" she whimpered through tears.

The pain crushed her heart. The thin thread that had kept her together up to now had finally snapped. All the suffering she had been through from the time Meladon was destroyed to her father's death crashed down upon her. She kept crying and crying as if there was no tomorrow. She released her sorrow and grief into the space she was in.

Then, she laid her father back down and crossed his arms. She reached into her magic pouch and pulled out the Ocarina of Time. The girl placed it in the dead hero's hands and closed them around the instrument.

"Thank you, Hero of Time," The Heroine of Light whispered as one more tear fell from her face. "Until we meet again...goodbye...father."

She remained on her knees as she looked up into the bright sky.

"Great goddesses," she prayed. "I have seen and felt so much pain. And now, I want to use what I know and put it into action. As my father did before me, so shall I serve Hyrule as its heroine. I will fight for justice. Please, Din. Keep my heart strong against vengeance. Nayru, give me wisdom to overcome obstacles. Farore, dear Farore, give me courage to stand against my fears. May Your Grace be with me through the rest of my journey."

Melody stood to her feet. She suddenly felt something she hadn't felt for a long time. Sadness was replaced with peace; anger was replaced with strength; and fear was replaced by courage. She felt a heavy weight lift off from her. Her heartache was gone and her mind stopped spinning. She felt refreshed and renewed.

She glanced to find the exit, and with an audible sigh, headed out of the space. There, she left behind her grief, her suffering, and the body of Link, her father, the Hero of Time, clutching the Ocarina of Time in his hands.

* * *

><p>Melody returned to the Chamber of Sages where Rauru and Caspen were waiting. Caspen took noticed and approached her as she walked onto the center platform.<p>

"What happened?" he asked her. "You look as if you had been crying. What did you see in there?"

With her eyes worn from the tears and her head sore from all of the crying, the red-head looked up at the young Termainian with a small, weak smile.

"I saw him, Caspen," she told him softly. "I saw my father...the Hero of Time."

"You did?!" the boy exclaimed. "Then you have nothing to worry about! You don't have to fight Gan —"

"He was cursed, Caspen," she interrupted him.

The boy stopped at the sudden news. "What?"

"Ganondorf cursed him to suffer and die. He died right before my eyes."

"He...he killed the Hero of Time?" Caspen asked in shock.

Melody nodded.

"There was nothing that could be done to remove the curse," she informed him.

"Even I could not save him," Rauru spoke up.

Melody turned to the old sage whose eyes were also sad.

"I tried everything I could to keep him alive," he continued. "It wasn't easy, nor was it comfortable for him. At least, I made sure he lived long enough to see you."

"For that, I am grateful," Melody thanked Rauru. "The reunion was worth it."

"Now, it's about time for you both to return to Hyrule," the Sage of Light continued. "There is still evil out there. Take this."

The sage approached her and handed her a gold medallion.

"This has my power within it," he told her. "You will need it when the time is right. I will command the other sages' powers once that time comes."

"Thank you," Melody said as she placed the coin into her pouch.

"Always remember this, Melody," Rauru spoke up. "Courage comes from the heart. It's what you believe is right and its greatest strength comes from love."

He looked at Caspen sternly.

"And you remember what I told you, Caspen," he said. "Always remember."

Caspen looked away as he bit his lip.

Melody could tell in his eyes that he was uncomfortable about something.

_What did Rauru tell him?_ She wondered.

"Goodbye," the old sage spoke. "And may the goddesses of Hyrule protect and guide you."

Then, before her eyes, the room around them vanished.

* * *

><p>The Dark King grinned as he looked at his collected prize: Queen Zelda!<p>

She was lying in a coffin bed made of red velvet and had a glass lid covering her. She appeared to be in a deep sleep.

After years of searching, he finally got the royal girl and, soon, the Triforce of Wisdom will be his. He recalled when she was first brought to the castle. She fought with all her might against the grasp of his soldiers. Fear struck her when she took notice of him. She claimed that Link would stop him. HA! She didn't even know the truth about her hero! He told her about his death and watch the look of pride leave her face. Was she shocked! Surrender appeared on her face. She knew she had been defeated! He didn't even have to tell her about the child that he was still seeking out for. This was enough for him to feel victory.

He chuckled as he rubbed the glass top.

_Now, once I find the girl, everything will be complete,_ he thought to himself. _Then, no one can stop me!_

Suddenly, he heard a banging from the doors.

_It has to be Ashasti!_ He said with a grin. _He has her!_

He turned toward the door.

"Enter!" he shouted.

When the doors opened, he scowled. It wasn't Ashasti, but a Stalfos soldier. The skeleton's bones rattled as he quivered with fear.

"M..my king," the soldier spoke nervously. "We have...a problem..."

"What is it now!?" Ganondorf shouted as his anger boiled.

"The...the town is under attack," the Stalfos reported. "A boy with green hair, a Sheikah, and a Gerudo female...they invaded the town and took down most of our men."

Ganondorf wasn't listening to the last part. He heard Gerudo female and only one name came to mind.

_If Nabooru is free, _he guessed, _then what happened to the deity girl?_

"Was there anyone else with them?" Ganondorf demanded harshly.

"Well, no one I saw," the Stalfos replied.

"SIR!" shouted another voice behind the door.

A helmet-less Darknut appeared and his dog-like head was hanging with bad news.

"A report," he continued. "I have witnessed from the watchtower three people heading to the temple: a Stalfos, a Deku Scrub, and a white giant with a Wolfos."

Ganondorf's eyes flared in anger.

"WHITE GIANT!?" the Gerudo king shouted. "She's supposed to be DEAD!"

Suddenly, his hand began to vibrate. He looked at the back of his hand and saw the Triforce symbol glow. The same thing happened when Zelda showed up at his castle, but he still had her. He also knew that the Hero of Time was dead.

Then, one word came to his mind. It caused him to clench his teeth and ball up his fists. Anger seared through him in a fiery rage and old revenge burned in his heart. He knew exactly who it was. It wasn't Link, but it was certainly someone in relation to him. The one word played in his mind and he growled and hissed as he said it:

"Melody..."

* * *

><p>Izzy: WHO HATES ME NOW!?<p>

Everyone: WE DO!

Scrubs: HOW COULD YOU!

Femur: That poor Hero of Time!

Roecliff: Poor Hero?! What about that poor girl!

Oni: You're the WORST AUTHORESS EVER!

Izzy: Sad tidings, indeed! Now you know what happened to our dear Hero of Time! Not only that, but now our Heroine of Light has the Triforce of Courage! HURRAY!

Scrubs: But Ganondorf!

Izzy: YES! Ganondorf now knows that Melody is very close! Now the question is, what will happen next?

Roecliff: And if you had noticed, dear readers, this happens to be her longest chapter so far!

Izzy: Is there longer chapters!? Find out next chapter!

Roecliff: R&R please!


	43. Deity Rage

Izzy: Here we are again! Boy, this is exciting! Melody is now the Heroine of Light and is about to go and stop Ganondorf from his evil demise!

Scrubs: YEAH!

Izzy: So, what will she and Caspen do when they return to the temple?

Oni: Kick Ganondorf's butt!

Roecliff: Save Hyrule!

Scrubs: Destroy darkness!

Femur: Don't you think that's a little violent?

Izzy: This story is rated T for violence, Femur.

Femur: Oh, dear!

Izzy: Find out what happens next...HERE...in The Curse of the Deity Mask!

Disclaimer: ...

Roecliff: IZZY! WHERE'S THE DISCLAIMER!?

Izzy: Oops! Sorry! I've been so busy this week I forgot to write it down! Besides, everyone still knows that I don't own Zelda.

Roecliff: *sigh*

* * *

><p>The light faded around Melody and Caspen and they found themselves back in the Temple of Time.<p>

"Stay away, you freak!" she heard a squeaky voice shout.

Melody knew right away there was trouble. She pulled out the Master Sword and the Hylian shield and, without waiting for Caspen's response, ran out from the hidden room.

From behind the altar, she saw what the trouble was. Scrubs, Femur and Fetch were standing with their backs toward her below the altar. Before them was a familiar villain wearing a black tunic, a yellow cape, and a crooked smile on his face.

"Ashasti, stand down!" Melody commanded.

The fake warlock looked up to her in surprise.

"You!" he exclaimed in fury. "I KNEW it had to be you!"

The others looked behind them and jumped.

"Mystia?" Scrubs declared. "What happened to you?"

Ashasti grinned.

"You mean to tell me that you kept this a secret from your own companions?" he taunted. "Some friend you are. For a warrior who trusts her friends so much, that is a very low way to go...Melody."

A wave of surprise filled her friend's faces.

"_The_ Melody?" Scrubs exclaimed.

"The one who was being hunted down by the Dark King for all these years?" Femur added.

"The one who's responsible for all that has happened to us?" Scrubs said angrily. "The one who LIED about who she was?!"

"Scrubs, I can explain—" Melody started.

"Oh, yes, go on!" Ashasti encouraged with amusement. "Explain to your friends how you were the reason for all their troubles in the first place."

"SHUT UP, CREEPER!" shouted an echoing voice.

Melody looked next to her and her eyes widened in surprise. It was Caspen, but in his deity form. She didn't think that he would go back to wearing the mask after all that had happened to him.

"She wasn't the cause of everything that has happened," he corrected harshly. "It was you! And that blasted pig-head that you call 'king'!"

"Caspen?" she whispered in concern.

His pupil-less eyes glanced at her. Somehow she could read his eyes:

_It's alright. I'm in control of this mask now._

He turned his attention back to the maniac.

"And who are you?" Ashasti asked curiously.

"I am Oni!" Caspen exclaimed. "I am the possessor of the Fierce Deity Mask and YOU have been on my bad side since day one. Don't you make me snap!"

"Ahhh..." the warlock realized as he scratched at his scarred lip. "So _you're_ the reason she's been hiding from me all this time. So...what was _your_ part in all of this? Did she promise you something? Or did you take advantage of her when you had the chance?"

"Shut...UP!" Caspen shouted again and he leaped into the air with his sword raised high and ready to slice the warlock.

Ashasti grinned and vanished before Caspen's blade struck him. He appeared nearby Melody.

"You think you can pull that one on me?" he laughed.

Melody stepped back from him and swung her sword at him.

Again, Ashasti disappeared and reappeared near the doorway of the temple.

"You're gonna have to do better than that," he smiled.

Melody only growled. This guy has been getting on her nerves since the beginning and she was fed up with him.

"Now, Melody," Ashasti sneered. "If you really want no trouble, then why don't you surrender and I'll take you to the king. He would be delighted to see you."

"I don't need any assistance from you!" she replied. "I'll go to the Dark King on my own and chop off his head!"

Ashanti scowled at her answer.

"YOU BRAT!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "I WILL NOT TOLERATE YOUR RESISTANCE! I NOW HAVE NO CHOICE! I WILL TAKE YOU BY FORCE IF I HAVE TO!"

He pulled out a broad sword and swung it like a mad man.

"Really?" Caspen said incredulously. "Is he really that crazy?"

Melody leapt down the stairs and planted herself next to Caspen. Her eyes remained fixed on the fake wizard and their glare accepted his challenge.

"Femur, Scrubs," she shouted back at her friends. "Get inside the hidden room and stay there until I call you out."

Her friends obeyed, but she noticed Scrubs looking at her in discontent just as he turned and ran away.

Ashasti ran to them, but Caspen raised his weapon to hit him. Ashasti vanished before he had the chance.

"GOHT!" the deity swore. "How do you attack this guy?!"

"He shouldn't have any powers!" Melody exclaimed.

"That's what you get for calling me a fake!" they heard the warlock say from behind them.

Melody quickly turned around to see just in time Ashasti getting ready to strike her. She jumped to the side and counter-swung her blade.

He vanished again.

This time, Ashasti reappeared; but this time he replicated several copies of himself which quickly surrounded both Caspen and Melody. They all laughed in unison.

All the Ashasti copies thrust their blades toward them. Melody held up her shield in defense and the copies in front of her dissipated. She heard a loud clang from behind and a scream. She turned to see Caspen knocking down the real Ashasti to the ground before stabbing at the mad man.

Once again, Ashasti vanished.

"He really needs to quit doing that," Melody grumbled in frustration. "He's only proving how afraid he is to die!"

"I am NOT a COWARD!" shouted Ashasti.

Melody spun around while holding up her shield in defense.

"MELODY! BEHIND YOU!" Caspen shouted.

She turned again, but she felt Ashasti's blade protrude into her chest.

She gasped for air and grunted at the pain. In an instant, everything around her went black.

The wizard's eyes widened in dread before he spat out to Caspen, "Now do you see what you made me do?! If you had not alerted her, I would merely have disarmed her! Now we end this!"

In the meantime, Melody could hear Caspen's angry shout even as she slowly felt her spirit being lifted and her body fading away...

Suddenly, Melody felt a whiff of air in her lungs and the pain in her chest was gone. She nearly gasped from the impact and quickly felt clear-headed. Right above her, she saw a pink fairy slowly fading out of existence.

The warrior sat up and saw Ashasti on top of Caspen with his blade to the deity's throat. The Double Helix Sword had been thrown a few feet away from him. The girl stood up quietly, lifted her sword into a stabbing position, and approached Ashasti from behind as he jested with Caspen.

"My plan to distract you with the girl worked! I never had any fear of what happened to her since I do have something back at the castle to revive her before the Dark King finds out. But first, to dispose of you and then I will take this girl to—"

But he never finished, for Melody had quickly jabbed her sword into Ashasti's back.

The warlock cried out with a screech. Then, after the girl pulled out her weapon, he gagged and fell forward onto Caspen, who shoved him away. The man gasped and choked on his laughter.

"You...will not defeat...the darkness...that easily," he gargled. "The Dark King...will win...and you...will..."

Ashasti became still.

"Good riddance!" Caspen declared, then looked at Melody. "Are you alright?"

The girl smiled.

"Yes, I'm fine," she replied as she sheathed her weapon. "Thankfully, I still had that fairy the Deku Princess gave me. I forgot that I had it."

She then gave Caspen a questioning look.

"One thing I want to ask, though," she continued. "How did you know that you had control of that mask?"

"Rauru told me," Caspen informed. "He said that the mask didn't lose its entire power, but the curse that Majora placed on it was gone for good. Now, I can use it without any trouble."

"That's good to know!" she sighed, then turned toward the hidden exit and shouted, "It's okay to come out now!"

The Stalfos, Deku, and Wolfos came out and approached them.

Femur took notice of Ashasti's body and, turning green, spun away from the dead body.

"Oh!" he exclaimed. "That's horrible!"

"He's finally gone!" Scrubs said with relief.

"Yes, he is," Melody agreed. "Gone for good."

"As for you," Scrubs said angrily, "why did you lie to me?"

"Scrubs, now's not a really good time—" Melody started.

"It IS a good time," Scrubs growled as he stomped his little foot. "You should be ashamed of yourself! Keeping a secret like that from me! I thought you wouldn't do that anymore! You promised!"

"Well, if she HAD told you," Caspen jumped in the foray with fury, "YOU would be the big blabbermouth and tell the whole world who she was!"

"YOU stay out of this, ONI!" Scrubs jeered at Caspen. "This has nothing to do with you! You've been nothing but a big jerk!"

"And YOU have been nothing but a PEST!" the deity growled.

"YOU WANNA PIECE OF ME!" Scrubs shouted as he showed his fists.

"I CAN CRUSH YOU LIKE A BUG!" Caspen shouted back.

"ENOUGH!" Melody yelled. "By Din's Fire! You two are already at each other's throats!"

The two arguers stopped and looked at the girl. She sighed heavily.

"Look, Scrubs," she said to the Deku, "I didn't tell you because I wasn't certain about it until a few minutes ago."

"Why?" Scrubs scowled. "You couldn't trust me?"

"Who would trust you?" Caspen said harshly. "You're a monster!"

"And you're a jerkface!" Scrubs grumbled.

"Oooh, the things I want to do to you," Caspen hissed.

"Caspen, stop it!" Melody hissed back at him.

"Caspen?" Scrubs squeaked. "You're real name is Caspen?"

The Deku glared at Melody.

"Nice!" he said in frustration. "More secrets you've been keeping from me!"

"I told her not to tell you!" Caspen said, glaring at Melody.

"I wasn't talking to you, Mr. Jerkface!" Scrubs hissed.

"Mother of Twinmold!" Caspen swore. "You are getting on my last nerve!"

Melody's head started hurting and her frustration began to set in. She was getting sick of the squabbling. She really didn't have the time or patience for an argument. She had worse things to worry about than trying to explain her reasons to her friends why she said nothing about her identity; and both Scrubs and Caspen weren't helping her situation at all.

Getting red in the face from anger, Melody growled before crying out.

"FOR NAYRU'S SAKE!" she shouted. "Do you want to know the truth? Here it is! I hid my identity because I didn't want Ganondorf to find me and kill me! There may have been spies and I wasn't going to take that risk! There! You have it! Now, if you want to know who I REALLY am, my name is Melody and I am the late Hero of Time's daughter, which is why the Dark King WANTS me dead! If I hadn't hidden who I was, I probably would be DEAD by now! Now that Ganondorf has Zelda and that I have watched my father die from a curse by the pig, I am the one who has the weight of the world on my shoulders to save Hyrule from this tyrant and YOU TWO ARGUING ISN'T HELPING MY STRESS OR SANITY!"

Everyone froze in their place. They were all shocked by her sudden outburst of anger.

Melody collapsed on the ground in exhaustion. Her face burned from anger, but it simmered into sadness. Tears that she thought had dried up flowed out again. The pressure was too much for her. She was only a teenager and _she _had to save the world! Why couldn't her friends understand that? Why?

"You...you saw your father?" Femur carefully and sadly asked.

"I saw him die," she whimpered. "It was so hard to let him go. I only had a few minutes with him...but it felt like an eternity that I have known him."

She felt Fetch rub against her arm with his head. She looked at the brown-eyed Wolfos, who whined sadly. She took her hand and scratched his back as she wiped away her tears.

She then felt a wooden hand on her shoulder.

"Melody...I'm sorry," Scrubs said quietly. "I...I didn't know..."

"Of course, you didn't," Caspen stated rudely. "You don't consider other people's feelings."

Melody looked at the boy in frustration. She was really sick of his comments.

"Caspen, that's enough!" she said through her teeth.

"He's being a jerk, Melody!" Caspen pointed out.

"That doesn't mean YOU have to be," she stated back.

"Are you REALLY going to let him treat you like that?" the boy asked in frustration.

"He apologized!" Melody reminded.

"So?" the deity complained. "You don't have to accept his apology!"

"He deserves as much forgiveness as you do, Caspen," the girl mentioned. "He's been there for me."

"And I haven't!?" he said in offense. "I've been there for you since day one!"

"Really?" Melody said sarcastically. "Last I checked, you latched onto me for YOUR own benefit!"

Caspen was taken aback by her statement.

"How DARE you!" he exclaimed.

Melody stood up and glared at Caspen.

"How dare I?!" she stated.

"This is the THANKS I get?!" Caspen fumed. "After all that I have done for you?!"

"Yes, after all _you've_ done!" Melody shouted. "You took ownership of me! You bossed me around like I was some...low-life subject of yours! You wouldn't let me go!"

"Well, if it weren't for me," Caspen reminded angrily, "maybe would would have died!"

Melody loudly exclaimed, "Most days, I wish I hadn't found that mask in the first place!"

A look of amazement washed over Caspen's face.

"I don't believe it," he said dumbfounded, then anger returned. "I can't believe you would say that! After all that you've been through! You know what your issue is?! All you ever think about is yourself! You want to be babied for all of your problems and not even think about how others might feel!"

"Think of myself!?" Melody said taken aback. "That's a bold statement coming from someone 'high and mighty' and 'superior'! Think of himself BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE!"

"FINE!" Caspen declared. "I get it! You don't appreciate anything I've done! For a moment, I thought..."

His words trailed off as he curled his lips and fumed.

"...I...UGH!" he growled. "FORGET IT! You know what? I should just stick to my original plan and leave!"

Caspen picked up his sword, placed it magically on his back, and started to head for the temple exit.

"Great!" Melody shouted. "Go ahead! Leave! I don't care! It's not like I ever needed you!"

"You don't need anybody!" Caspen shouted back as he continued walking. "Go ahead and fight the King of Evil on your own! Go be a heroine! Take the glory!"

"I WILL!" she yelled back to him.

"FINE!" the deity shouted as he slammed the door behind him.

The sound of the door echoed in the now quiet room.

"UGH!" Melody grumbled. "The nerve of that...that selfish...cold hardhearted...jerk!"

"Mysti- I mean, Melody?" she heard Scrubs say.

The red-head looked down at the Deku, who had a stern look on his wooden face.

"Don't worry about him," he told her. "He doesn't know anything. We're here for you no matter what!"

"The little Deku is right, miss," Femur spoke. "I may not be able to fight, but with or without Mr. Oni, we can consider ourselves the same team we've always been."

Melody smiled. She was grateful to have such good friends on her side.

"You know what? You're right," she replied. "We're in this together. After all, we're the last warriors and the Queen is counting on us...no, all of Hyrule is counting on us!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" Scrubs declared with determination. "Let's go kick some tyrant butt!"

Fetch barked in agreement.

"Then let's go!" Melody declared as she drew out her sword. "To Hyrule Castle!"

The group ran toward the exit and into Hyrule Town.

They gasped at what they saw:

The war for Hyrule had begun!

* * *

><p>Izzy: LET'S GIVE A CHEER! ASHASTI THE CREEPER IS DEAD!<p>

Everyone: *singing* DING DONG! THE CREEPER'S DEAD! Which creeper...the wicked...creeper...

Izzy: Nice attempt...really...

Oni: WAIT! What about me?!

Izzy: Yes, indeed! BIIIIIGGGG fiery debate between Melody and our dear Scrubs, then Melody and Caspen!

Scrubs: At least I still forgave her for not telling me who she was...

Izzy: Yes, but now Caspen has left the building!

Caspen: Readers hate you right now, you remember? Do you really want them to hate you more?

Izzy: ...maybe...

Caspen: (T_T) Really?

Izzy: Now, our dear companions (besides Caspen) are on their way to Hyrule Castle to confront the one...the only...GANONDORF!

Femur: OH NO!

Izzy: Will they make it to the castle? Find out next chapter!

Roecliff: R&R!


	44. To Hyrule Castle

Izzy:*speaking like an announcer* Dear Readers! Today is the day that you will read this chapter and see the thrills, the excitement, and know suspicion by its real name! I give you...CHAPTER 42!

Oni: Will you stop that?!

Izzy: *normal* What? I'm enjoying myself here! Anyway, what has happened here was that Melody just defeated Ashasti and got into a really big fight with her friends...

Scrubs: Caspen isn't her friend! He's a jerk!

Oni: *pulls out axe* Chop chop here and a chop chop there!

Scrubs: AAAAAHHHHHH! *runs away*

Izzy: ONI! UGH! Back to you, folks. Now, Caspen has left and our dear companions are on their way to Hyrule castle...*changes back to announcer voice* to confront the most terrifying...most horrifying...most dangerous criminal of them all...

Ratigan: ME!

Izzy: No...GANONDORF! MWAHAHAHA- *notices Ratigan* Wait! What are you doing here?

Roecliff: Find out what happens to our characters!

Disclaimer: I don't own Ratigan! I don't know why he is here in the first place! He's not even in this story! Oh...and I also don't own Zelda (as if you didn't already bleedy know!).

* * *

><p>Melody could hear the battle in Hyrule Town still going on. She swung her sword out and charged into the ruins. The first creature she encounters was a bulokoblin. She leapt to the side and stabbed the monster in the back and killed it. Then she looked ahead.<p>

Impa was struggling with a Darknut. Her weapons were missing and she was using a fallen shield for defense.

Melody ran up from behind the monster and slashed at his armor. The creature cried out as his breastplate fell from his body. The heroine slashed the monster in half and it died in a puff of smoke.

Impa sat up and looked at the girl curiously.

"You can't be Malon or Oni Mystia," she said.

Melody shook her head and replied, "I'm Melody."

Melody extended her hand to the Sheikah, Impa took it, and the heroine pulled her up. The woman brushed herself off and looked at her with a small grin.

"That certainly explains many things," she said.

"What do you mean?" Melody asked.

"First, there's the hero garb you're wearing," the Sheikah pointed out. "Then, there was that Link spirit I have felt since I've met you. Finally, the Master Sword in your hands. Now, how was it that you survived that fire?"

"Rauru rescued me and kept me a secret so that Ganondorf couldn't find me," Melody informed the woman.

Impa sighed and nodded.

"I see," she said. "That explains Rauru's behavior for certain." She looked at the girl and smiled. "I'm glad you are alive. We need the daughter of the Chosen Hero for a time like this."

"That's why I'm here," the girl grinned.

"Ah!" someone shouted.

Impa and Melody turned their attention to the sounds nearby.

Nabooru had appeared around the corner and fell on her back as a Stalfos came up with its sword ready to strike her.

"I'll get it!" Scrubs stated boldly.

The little Deku blew a big bubble and fired it at the Stalfos. The skeleton stood stunned at what happened.

Melody ran up and slashed the soldier into a pile of bones which disappeared in smoke like the last creature.

The Gerudo stood up and looked over at Melody and Impa.

"Who are you?" the dark skinned woman asked. "You dress like the Hero of Time."

"I am his daughter," Melody replied.

Nabooru smirked at the girl.

"Are you now?" the Gerudo spoke. "You seemed like a hero's daughter for certain. No doubt that Queen Zelda has recognized it in you as well."

"Yha!" shouted another voice.

Everyone there held up their weapons and charged toward the center square.

Takaro was firing his magic at some spiders and skulltullas. There was a whole swarm of them! It appeared he was about to be overrun by them.

The group jumped in and struck at the nasty bugs. One by one, the creatures disappeared after being killed.

Takaro sighed in relief.

"Thanks for the assis—" he started to say, but then noticed Melody. "Oni Mystia! You look...different."

"You can call me Melody," she told him.

"Melody," he said with a smile in his eyes. "A nice name—"

"No time for talking now," Nabooru chimed in. "We got company!"

Melody noticed more soldiers heading their way from up the hill from the castle. She turned to Impa.

"I have to get to the castle and save Zelda," she informed the Sheikah. "Can you get me inside?"

"It will be difficult to get there in our position," Impa reminded her. "Especially with all those guards heading for us."

"Not without some assistance!" said a deep, growling voice.

The people turned around and saw a giant group of Gorons right behind them. One of them Melody recognized right off the bat.

"Goron Link!" she exclaimed.

The Goron smiled down at her.

"Rauru had informed me of the situation," he relayed to the group. "Whatever you need, we're here for you."

"As are we," said a feminine voice.

Coming from behind the Goron tribe was Queen Ruto and her army.

"Send us to war, Heroine of Light," the Zora Queen commanded.

"Heroine of Light?" Takaro questioned to Melody.

The red head smiled.

"All right!" she declared. "To Hyrule Castle!"

She whipped her sword toward the dark castle and began to charge up the path with the armies of Hyrule right behind her. They all ignored the dark rain clouds that were rapidly forming.

On the way up, the armies of darkness collided with the armies of light. The Gorons rolled up the path in front of everyone. Charging with full speed, they crushed or sent flying many of the enemy. The Zoras fought with their spears in hand and readily stabbed the monsters that came their way. Impa and Nabooru used their skilled abilities and unique weapons to slay the creatures which crossed them. Takaro's green energy magic easily blasted any skeletal soldiers. Scrubs spun and hit the spiders that crawled their way; Fetch leaped and attacked other fellow Wolfos. Femur, however, tried to avoid as much conflict as possible. He kept a large shield he picked up from a dead bulokoblin in front of him as the battle progressed. Finally, Melody, Heroine of Light, threw what bombs she had left at distant enemies and quickly cut down her foes before her with the Master Sword.

As they fought on, the threat of the storm increased. Distant thunder and lightning added to the noise of the battle. Finally, both the tempest and the armies of light reached the gates to the castle .

Melody had just finished off a Stalfos when Impa grabbed her attention.

"This way!" she shouted. "Let the others worry about the monsters! We can get inside!"

Melody nodded and called out to her friends to follow.

The travelers followed Impa toward the castle. The Sheikah opened the giant wooden doors and all of them went inside.

They entered a great hall trimmed in dull gold colors. The faded red carpet was slightly tattered and the marble floor was scabbed with scratch marks. Hardly any of the candles on the chandeliers hanging above were lit; and that only made room seemed darker than it already was because of the dense cloud cover of the outside storm. Pieces of broken statues were scattered on the floor.

"Impa," Melody spoke with her voice echoing in the room, "are there any prisoners here?"

"Takaro had informed me of some being in here," Impa reported. "He witnessed them a long way back when he was hunting for those white shadows."

"Which way are the dungeons?" the heroine asked. Surely Impa would know her way around the castle since she was Zelda's attendant.

The Sheikah pointed to a door to their right. "That way."

The group walked down a dark stairway of stone. Melody could barely see where they were going. She thought about making her glow brighter...until she remembered that she didn't have the Fierce Deity Mask on anymore. She also seemed to notice how quiet her head felt. It made her feel empty without the sound of Caspen's voice...

_Oh, get over it, Melody!_ She scolded herself. _He was a jerk!_

But her heart felt differently. It ached for Caspen. She wished that she still had him with her. To hear another one of his sarcastic comments again would satisfy her. For the first time, she felt...hollow.

The group made it to the bottom of the stairs. A door stood between them and they could hear the sound of grunts and shuffles from within. Melody leaned against the door to listen. She knew the sounds of moblins' munching on food and Stalfos' bones rattling together. She peeked through a hole in the door. Within, she saw as she had suspected, but with another creature inside: Redeads! She spied them and even more: Redeads!

"What do you see?" Scrubs asked.

"Monsters," she replied. "Lots of them guarding the cell doors. Even Redeads. There's too many of them."

"Redeads?!" Scrubs exclaimed. "That's the last thing we need!"

"What do you suggest we do?" Impa asked Melody.

The girl wasn't sure of what to do. She knew if they all went inside, they would be done for.

"I'll go in!" she heard Femur say.

Melody looked at him in surprise.

"Femur?" she said with confusion.

"I can handle the Redeads," Femur reminded her.

"But you can't go in there!" Melody told him. "You have aichmophobia! And you don't fight!"

"I am normally a pacifist," Femur declared boldly, "and I do have a fear of pointy objects...but it will not be this day! This day, I will stand before my enemies without fear!"

Femur walked up to the door and quickly glanced back.

"Stand back, everyone!" Femur commanded. "This pacifist Stalfos is about to encounter his foes!"

With that, he opened the door and went inside. The door shut and everyone stood unawares of what just happened.

Melody was altogether surprised at Femur. It was a very bold move for him to step into danger knowing what could happen to him. She leaned against the door and listened some more.

"'Ey, look! It's Mista' Funne Bowns!" she heard a Stalfos shout.

"Mr. Funny Bones?" growled another Stalfos. "More like Mr. Broken Bones!"

"Let's tear 'im apart!" shrilled a moblin.

"MISS! HELP!" Femur cried. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WAS THINKING! GET ME OUT OF HERE! THEY'RE GOING TO KILL MEEEEEEE!"

Before Melody had a chance to open the door again, she heard a loud clang from inside. Then, the heroine could feel a darkness hovering inside.

"Come on, Melody!" Scrubs shouted. "Open it!"

"Not a good idea right now!" Melody informed the Deku.

Then, everyone heard Femur.

"HOW DARE YOU MESS WITH MEEEEEE!" he growled in a deep voice. "TIME TO PAY! HAMMER TIIIIIIME!"

"I don't think that's supposed to happen," the moblin spoke nervously.

"Mista' Funne Bowns 'as gone MAAAAAAAAADDDD!" exclaimed the first Stalfos.

The next thing the group outside heard was the shrieks of monsters followed by the slams of Femur's hammer. Everyone listened as the commotion continued for five minutes straight. Then there was silence.

"Oooooohhhhhhh..." moaned poor Femur.

"It's safe," Melody told the group and opened the door.

Femur stood in the middle of a very long hallway of cell doors with his boney hand on his skull.

"Miss," he said when he took notice of the group entering inside. "Don't ever...let me do that again."

Melody placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It worked, didn't it?" she asked as she smiled. "You were very brave for what you did. That, I thank you for."

The British-speaking Stalfos smiled back weakly.

"Indeed, I did, miss," he said, "but I can safely assure you that I won't put myself out there like that again. I think I have a headache from that hit on the head."

The red-head only chuckled.

"What happens now?" Scrubs asked.

"We can't open these doors without keys," Impa told Melody.

"Who needs keys when we have Femur?" the heroine pointed out.

"I do have a hammer, madam," Femur said as he showed the oversized tool in his hands.

"Okay," Melody spoke in command. "Femur, smash down all the doors in this place. Scrubs, you use the potions in Femur's pack to cure anyone hurt or sick. Impa, help escort the prisoners out of here and send them to Death Mountain. Get all the help you need. Once Scrubs and Femur are done, they will join you."

Melody turned to head back upstairs.

"What about you?" Scrubs asked the girl.

Melody grimaced. She had this plan set in motion since they arrived at the castle. She didn't want her friends to worry about her. She looked back at the group.

"I'm going to fight Ganondorf," she replied solemnly.

"Alone, miss?" Femur asked with concern in his voice.

"It's what I have to do," the Heroine of Light told them.

"You don't have to do this by yourself, Melody," Impa told her.

"I can handle it," the girl replied to the Sheikah. "I need your priorities to be to take care of the people."

"But, miss," Femur said, "we can help..."

"You've done enough for me," Melody said appreciatively.

"I want to go with you!" Scrubs demanded.

"NO, Scrubs!" Melody said sternly.

She sighed as she knelt down to the ground.

"Listen to me," she calmly said to the little Deku. "I know we've been through a lot together and I appreciate all the help you have been giving me on this quest. Right now, the last thing I need is you getting hurt. I need my brave Deku to care for these people...to protect them. At least do this for me."

A wet sap tear fell from the Deku's eyes.

"Melody..." he started to say.

"Please?" Melody kindly begged.

The Deku sniffed and rubbed his eye like a little child.

"Promise me that you will help these people get to safety," the girl asked.

Scrubs looked at her as his sad expression changed to determination.

"I promise," he replied, "but as long as you promise that _you_ will be safe."

Melody smiled as a tear fell from her blue eyes.

"That's a promise," she assured him.

She kissed the Deku on the forehead and stood up.

"Are you sure about this?" Impa asked with a questioning look on her face.

Melody didn't say a word, but nodded to the Sheikah in determination. Then, she turned and ran up the stairs that lead out of the dungeon.

She entered back into the great hall and decided to try the double doors in the middle. It led to an upward spiral staircase carpeted in red and she began to tread up. It seemed to go on and on until she finally reached a door.

Through it, she found herself in a long hallway. Everything seemed too quiet and it made her uneasy. It was one of those moments that she wished Caspen said something, yet her mind was still empty. She started to feel really alone. She hated it! She wanted some kind of noise besides the sounds of her feet hitting the floor, the thunder claps, her short breaths, and her fast-beating heart. She wanted to hear Caspen's voice break the silence.

Then, she heard it: music. It was beautiful, but dark at the same time.

_If I follow it,_ Melody thought, _then it might lead me to Ganondorf._

While perking her ears to the music, she jogged through the hallway. The sound became louder as she approached a door. She opened it and inside she saw more stairs. She made her way up and the higher she got, the louder the music became. She found herself in another hall filled with doors. She kept listening as she rushed through this time. She opened another door and stopped when she could see that it led to an outside ledge on the side of the craggy castle. She could barely hear the music over the loud thunder that was still ringing in the sky. The rain fell hard like pellets and drenched the poor heroine as she walked along the wall to find another door. When she did, she reached for the knob only to stop. Her hand vibrated!

She looked down and saw the Triforce of Courage glowing. A dark presence hovered over her. She knew for certain she was getting close!

She entered the door...to find more stairs.

_UGH!_ She groaned. _How can _anyone_ stand so many stairs!?_

She began to make her way up...again. This time, the stairs seemed to go on forever! She walked higher and higher and the music got louder and louder. Lightning flashed outside the windows that she passed. Thunder shook the ground. The vibration on her hand became more intense. Darkness filled the void. A deep heartache pounded in her chest. Her mind was spinning with her own thoughts and kept wishing that Caspen was there with her.

She reached a floor with a door before her. She knew this had to be it! She opened it and found herself outside in the rain again. She turned to find a set of stairs leading up to what looked like a temple at the top. She began to ascend the stairs quickly. Huffing and puffing, Melody made it to the doors of the building. The music had stopped, but the vibration on her hand kept going.

_This is it,_ she thought as she caught her breath.

She stared at the door. She knew right then she was alone in this. This was her mission. Her task. Her destiny. She had to face it alone.

Mustering all of her courage, she boldly shoved the doors open and walked in…alone.

* * *

><p>Izzy: WHEW! That was intense!<p>

Scrubs: Come on! We could have helped her!

Izzy: Not this time! Well, folks, it appears that Melody has finally made it to the last boss! What will happen inside? What will she find? Will she be alone for this battle? Find out next chapter!

Roecliff: Wait! What happened to Ratigan?

Izzy: Oni's got him taken care of.

Ratigan: *tied above a pot of boiling goo* LET ME DOWN FROM HERE! I DEMAND IT!

Oni: Shut up, rat!

Ratigan: *getting red in the face* I AM NOT A RAT!

Roecliff: *amused* R&R, people! We got a show to watch!

Izzy: Heehee! *eats popcorn*


	45. Reunion

Izzy: Back again! Whew! So much going on for this chapter! Melody is now on her own and ready to face Ganondorf!

Roecliff: Hey! Where is everybody? Oni? Scrubs? Femur? Fetch?

Izzy: They took a coffee break.

Roecliff: Coffee break!? I thought they wanted to finish the story!

Izzy: There's a T.V. in there where our story will play.

Roecliff: ...I still don't see how Oni and Scrubs could stand being near each other for a coffee break...and Femur doesn't drink coffee!

Izzy: Find out what happens here!

Disclaimer: I put sleep-inducing pills in the character's coffee so they will LEAVE ME ALONE!

Roecliff: WHAT?!

Izzy: And I don't own Zelda! :D

* * *

><p>The room was dark save for the bright flashes of lightning that intermittently lit up the stain-glass windows. The same torn and abused carpet let up to a large throne on the other side of the room. More statues were broken and the floor was chipped and cracked. The space felt eerie. This court was truly meant for a Dark King.<p>

Melody barely noticed her surroundings. She had spotted something else in the middle of the throne room. It appeared to be a coffin, whose bottom-half was made of gold and top-half of glass. She approached it carefully until she could look down into it.

She gasped.

Lying inside and on top of a plush red lining was a female wearing a green tunic with the emblem of Hyrule on the chest. She had long blond hair in a braid and her eyes were closed as if in a deep sleep.

_Zelda!_ Melody thought in shock.

Instantly, she tried to shove the lid off, but the lid was too heavy. After a deep breath of defeat, she looked at the coffin.

_The top is made of glass,_ she thought. _Maybe a good smash with my sword will do it._

She pulled out the Master Sword and swung it hard upon the glass. It landed with a solid clang. But nothing happened.

_How in Din's name!_ She said to herself in annoyance.

Then, a chuckle erupted within the room: a dark, cold, deep, horrid chuckle. She knew in her heart that she had heard it before. She quickly looked around as she held out her sword to the darkness around her. No one was around.

"Well, well, well," said a dark, deep voice in the darkness. "Look who finally decided to grace me with her presence!"

"I know it's you, Ganondorf!" Melody shouted. "Show yourself!"

The voice laughed wickedly.

"Impatient, are we?" it said from behind.

The red-head turned toward Zelda's case and jumped back in surprise. All she could see was a tall dark man within the shadows. A lightning bolt filled the room with light just enough to catch a second glimpse of him, but not enough to see the details.

"Not that I mind showing myself," the dark man spoke, "but to make demands on me isn't something that I take lightly."

"Why do you hide yourself in the dark, then? " Melody asked. "That is, if you don't mind showing yourself."

"Indeed," the figure agreed.

Suddenly, the torches flared full force and brightened up the room. Melody could definitely see better, but she never took her gaze from the man. Her heart thumped in fear when she saw him in his full appearance.

He was very muscular underneath his dark clothes; and a red cape hung around his thick neck. He had a square jaw, dark skin, and a long nose. His fiery red hair was in thick cornrows and weaved into a crown-like piece on the back of his head. Between each row of hair was a string of gold attached to a large red jewel in the middle of his forehead. His lips smiled deviously.

What Melody noticed most were his eyes: a bright red that stared darkly at her. She had seen those eyes many times in her dreams! She could feel goose bumps forming on her arms and a chill crawl up her spine. He was for certain more frightening in person!

"Welcome home, Melody," Ganondorf smirked with glee.

The heroine wanted to run at that moment, but her legs were frozen in fear. Her throat dried up, which stifled her ability to scream. She wanted out! She didn't want to face him!

_Focus!_ She demanded to herself. _Don't be afraid! Don't be afraid! This is your destiny! Be strong!_

But her heart pounded harder and her breaths became shallow.

The Gerudo seemed to sense her fear, for he chuckled in amusement.

"You remember me, don't you?" he asked her.

"In dreams and visions, yes," the red-head managed to say. "I have seen you. I have heard you."

Ganondorf walked around the casket and toward Melody, who responded by stepping back slowly from him.

"I can sense a great fear inside of you," he told her. "Some heroine you are! One without courage is a fool to step up against me!" His smile grew. "Yet, you possess the Triforce of Courage. Surely, there has to be some form of bravery within you. Otherwise, you wouldn't have taken such a bold step to come and see me."

"I admit that I am afraid of you," Melody informed the King of Evil, "but that doesn't change my situation now, does it? I came here with a purpose."

"I know," the Dark King frowned, "which is why I tried to destroy you in the beginning. However, that Sage of Light saved you and hid you from me. For seventeen years I have waited for Ashasti to find you, but even a fool like him couldn't accomplish a simple task!"

"Ashasti was nothing but a freak," the red-head told the king as she started to gather her courage to speak. "Without his white shadows, he was nothing but a weakling and a coward."

"Yes," Ganondorf agreed. "A poor choice for a bounty hunter. A mistake that will not happen again."

By this time, Melody was almost against the doors and the King of Evil was coming too close for her comfort.

"But now, it doesn't matter," the dark Gerudo continued. "Here you are now...and right where I want you."

Melody thought fast and grabbed her shield from behind. She shoved it into the dark man's face. He grunted from the impact and the red-headed girl ran around him. Ganondorf turned around with a grin.

"That was a childish move," he chuckled. "Is that the best you can do?"

The King of Evil formed an energy ball and threw it at the girl.

Melody raised her shield in defense and the energy dissipated. She lowered it only to get slammed in the chest by another. The force threw her across the room. She landed on her shielded arm and slid on the floor a few feet before she stopped. Her sword fell away from her grasp and slid to the other side of the room. She groaned as she slowly stood back to her feet.

Ganondorf was already upon her again and shoved her back on the ground with a kick from his foot. He was about to stomp on her chest, but the girl quickly rolled out of the way and got back on her feet. She spotted her blade and charged for it, but she felt the man grab the back of her collar and throw her away from it. She landed on her back with a hard thud. The pain shot through her spine. It felt worse than when she wore the Fierce Deity Mask. She_ really_ wished then that Caspen would show up to help.

The Dark King was ready to pounce on her again. This time, Melody brought her feet up and kicked him away with all of her might. He fell to the ground next to her and she rolled away to get up and run to her blade again.

She was close when she suddenly felt a wave of electric hit her body, which knocked her down again. But the blow actually sent her closer to her blade. She tried to reach for it again.

Ganondorf approached her with full speed, grabbed her legs and swung her away again.

Melody quickly reached into her magic pouch and pulled out her grappling hook. She flung the tool towards the man and it wrapped around the Gerudo's feet. He fell on his face with a muffled shout. The girl got back up and kicked the man in the face before running once again for her blade.

This time, she got it and stood in a fighting stance.

The Gerudo had managed to destroy the rope that held him and quickly got up. His eyes glared at her harshly.

"Very clever," he admitted. "Maybe a little too clever for your own good. You make this look too easy."

_He calls that easy?! _Melody thought. _I've been trying to get my sword for the last five minutes!_

Two more energy spheres appeared in his hands and he threw them one by one. Melody quickly defended herself from both of them. But in that brief period from the time she had raised and then brought down her shield, Ganondorf had charged upon her and was now in her face with his fist.

It knocked her down again and she could feel her cheek bruising and tasted blood in her mouth. She glared at the Dark King and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. He was almost on her when she swung her blade at him.

The blade ripped his clothes and left a gash on his chest. The Gerudo cried out in pain as the girl stood to her feet and gave him an uppercut to the chin.

_Man, he's boney!_ She thought as she grimaced at the pain in her hand.

It threw the Gerudo back a couple feet as he grabbed his chin and rubbed it. He growled and formed a really large energy sphere in his hand. He raised it in the air and the ball separated into five smaller ones. They all soared to Melody.

Without knowing how to defend herself from that kind of attack, she took the impact of all five energy spheres and was thrown on the ground. This time, she landed on her arm and dislocated her shoulder. Weak and sore, she struggled to get back up.

The Gerudo King placed a foot on her stomach. The heroine grunted at the pressure as he pushed down to keep her in place. She felt as if she would throw up! Then, Ganondorf pulled out a two-handed broad sword and pointed it at her neck.

"You put up a good fight for a girl," the man complimented. "You certainly know your moves well, kid. But did you really think you could defeat me on your own? Foolish child!"

_That was the third time someone said that to me!_ Melody fumed.

"I know by now the Hero of Time would have tried to stop me," he continued with a grin. "But wait...he's dead, isn't he? Poor Melody! Even your own father couldn't protect himself from his own deathbed! And now...you are next! Then, the Triforce will be mine and the whole world will bow to me in fear!"

Melody then remembered Zelda's dream. The golden bird that was crippled...it was her! And the beast was Ganondorf!

_Femur was right!_ She thought in horror. _I'm going to die! He's going to kill me!_

"Now to complete my revenge!" Ganondorf shouted as he raised his sword to strike her.

Suddenly, white flashes slammed against the Gerudo. He stiffened and cried out at the impact. Then, a body slightly shorter than the Dark King slammed into him. The red-head watched as the King of Evil fell on the floor several feet away from her. He groaned as static, white energy surged off his body.

"I couldn't leave you alone for one minute and already you get yourself into trouble!" said a familiar voice. "When are you ever going to learn?"

Melody glanced up toward the voice and gasped.

A white giant towered over her. He wore a white tunic with a triangle and a crescent moon on the chest. He carried a large two-handed sword with two blades twisted into a loop. His skin was very pale with painted red and blue marks on it and his eyes were pupil-less and stared at her in questioning.

Melody recognized him immediately.

"Caspen!" she exclaimed. "You're here!"

"Do I always have to show up and help you with everything?" Caspen said sternly. "Really? It's kind of ridiculous, if you ask me!"

Melody couldn't help but smile. She was so glad he showed up. Just to hear his rude comments put her at ease.

"I'm glad you came back," she told him.

Caspen returned the smile mischievously.

"I was still in the neighborhood," he joked.

"Grrrrrmph!" they heard Ganondorf grunt.

Melody slowly stood up and saw the Dark King on his feet and turning to them. He glared at Caspen.

"A white giant, hmm?" he growled. "I thought it was a female!"

"No," Melody corrected. "_I_ was the white giant you heard of."

Ganondorf's eyes switched to her in surprise.

"You—" he began, then stopped as he fumed in realization. "I see. So...for the last few weeks that I've heard about this deity girl...it was actually _you_ the whole _time_! I should have known!"

He looked at Caspen again.

"If that's the case," he continued. "Then _who_ might _you_ be?"

He casually placed the Double Helix Sword on his shoulder as he were a warrior waiting too long to do battle.

"I was the spirit that lived within her," the boy responded. "I am Oni, the Warrior God of Termina. I am unleashed from my curse and will defeat all that is evil."

_What a showoff,_ Melody thought wryly yet affectionately.

Ganondorf laughed.

"A Warrior God?" he amused. "More like a mere demi-god! Your powers are nothing compared to mine, boy! However, I could use some entertainment!"

The Dark King formed more energy spheres and fired it at Caspen. The deity boy swung his sword off his shoulder and at the electrical attack. They fired back at Ganondorf along with the Double Helix Sword's magic. The Gerudo tried to block it, but both forms of energy slammed into his chest and paralyzed him.

"Melody," Caspen spoke, "heal up and finish this creep!"

The red-head nodded and reached into her magic pouch. She pulled out the bottle of Chateau Romani and quickly gulped the rest of it down. As she put away the bottle, she began to feel the Chateau do its work. Her arm popped back into place, the swelling and bleeding on her face went away, and a rush of new energy surged through her body and renewed her strength. With confidence and courage built back up, the girl held up the Master Sword and jumped into the battle.

Ganondorf recovered from the shocks, jumped up and quickly fired another energy sphere at Caspen. The deity boy swung his blade again and threw back twice as much back at the evil king. The Gerudo blocked it this time and sent them back. Surprised, Caspen leapt out of the way and the energy splatted against the wall.

Melody had already made her way behind Ganondorf. She swung her blade to decapitate his head, but the Gerudo spun around with his blade and both swords clanged together.

"Very sneaky, young lady," he grinned. "Ready for another round?"

His sword moved to strike her, but she deflected the blow with her shield. The girl raised her sword to do the same. Swords clashed as they battled on. Caspen swung his blade in attempt to paralyze the Dark King; however, both heroine and villain moved so fast around the floor that he feared the beams would miss the Gerudo and hit the girl.

Then, Melody found herself against Zelda's casket. Ganondorf's blade hit hers and he applied pressure to hold her down on the glass.

"You won't defeat me easily, kid," the tyrant declared in triumph. "I have more power than you would ever know. I will be victorious!"

Suddenly, white energy from Caspen's blade finally made it to its Gerudo target. Melody took the opportunity to shove the Gerudo away and rammed her sword into his chest.

The Dark King gasped and wheezed at the pain. The girl pulled her weapon away and let the Gerudo fall to his knees. He looked at Melody with hatred, then fell to the ground and became still.

The red-headed Hylian took a moment to breathe, then looked at Caspen who placed his weapon on his back. She sheathed her own blade and placed her shield on her back as well. She ran up to the deity boy and embraced him in a hug.

"Thank you, Caspen!" she said.

"Uh...no problem..." the boy hesitated in surprise.

Melody let go of him and looked deeply into his white eyes.

"So...what made you come back?" she asked.

Caspen sighed and turned his head.

"Rauru made me promise something," he told her. "He told me that I was your partner and that I shouldn't leave you to do this alone."

Melody smiled, but it quickly faded as she recalled all that she said to him before he left.

"Look," she started, "about what happened in the temple, I—"

"I know," Caspen interrupted. "It's okay. I shouldn't have said those things to you, either."

"How did you know what I was going to say?" she asked with curiosity.

"How long have we known each other?" the boy said frankly. "I can still practically read your mind."

Melody grinned.

"I guess that will never fade away," she stated.

Caspen smiled.

"No, I guess not," he replied.

"Ohhhh..." said a feminine voice.

The teens turned around toward the voice. The casket's lid was gone and Queen Zelda was sitting up from the bed while holding her head.

"Zelda!" Melody exclaimed as she quickly approached her.

The Queen looked up and a look of surprise washed over her face.

"Malon?" she said. "Is that you? Why are you in that tunic?"

The Heroine of Light shook her head.

"No, your majesty," she responded. "I'm Melody."

Zelda's eyes widened in even more surprise.

"Melody? Link's daughter? You're alive? How?"

"It's a long story," Melody replied.

Zelda climbed out of the bed and looked at the young Hylian in amazement.

"I just...can't believe you're alive!" the Queen repeated. "All this time, we thought you were..."

The blonde woman stopped when she took notice of Caspen standing next to the red-head.

"You're not Oni Mystia," she said, confused.

"Oh, no," Melody confirmed. "This is _the_ Oni. Oni Caspen. You see, I was Oni Mystia, but now I'm free...and so is he."

"Now that makes more sense," Zelda replied. "Somehow...somehow, I _knew_ you seem familiar. I could sense Link's presence inside of you, but I wasn't sure."

The Queen paused as she looked around.

"By the way," she spoke up, "what happened to your other companions?"

Just as she said it, the doors behind them busted open. Entering in from the raging rain and thunder was a Stalfos, a Deku, and a Wolfos ready for battle.

"We're here to fight for...justice?" Scrubs began, then lowered his arms at a loss. "Where's all the action!?"

"Guys?!" Melody exclaimed with the unexpected entry of her old friends. "What in Farore's name are you doing here?"

"Well, miss," Femur explained, "after assuring that all the prisoners were healthy and well, the Sheikah took the prisoners to safety while we came to help."

Fetch barked happily and ran up to Melody. He hopped up on her chest and gave her a big, sloppy kiss.

"Good to see you, too, Fetch," she giggled.

"So glad that I'm not going though that anymore," Caspen said aloud.

Scrubs noticed the deity boy.

"Oh!" Scrubs said sternly. "Look who's here! Mr. Jerkface!"

"_Oh_, the_ things_ I want to do to _you_," Caspen grumbled. "_Someday_..."

"No, Scrubs, it's alright," Melody informed the Deku. "He actually came back to help me."

"Huh?" Scrubs asked as he cocked his little wooden head in confusion.

"He actually...saved my life...again..." Melody said. As she did, she started to feel very grateful. After all the things he had done for her, what had she done for him that would match up to that?

"As I always do," Caspen smirked, "and I certainly hope it doesn't have to happen again, right?"

Before Melody could answer, there was the sound of running feet coming from outside the doors. When everyone looked toward it, and up from the darkness of the storm came a woman drenched from the rain. She had long, silver hair and very pale skin. Her clothes appeared faded with time and her blue eyes brightened as she looked at the group.

"Madam!" Femur scolded. "You were supposed to go with the others to Death Mountain! What are you thinking?"

The woman never replied, but walked to the group. As she got closer, Melody realized that the woman was looking at her. The face of the woman was worn and tired and her breathing was shallow. The female reached her hand and touched Melody's face.

The heroine looked deep into the eyes of the woman. She knew her somehow. Time seemed to have stripped her of her physical youth, but the eyes never looked any younger. The eyes...they looked familiar. Only one word came to her mind. She was afraid to say it in case she was wrong, but she did it anyway...just to find out.

"Mom?" she whispered to the older woman.

The female smiled with tears in her eyes.

"My...Melody," she said weakly.

A feeling of joy swept into Melody's heart. She embraced the old woman into a tight hug. She didn't want to let go. For the first time in what seemed like forever, she could feel the warm embrace and love of her mother's arms...her real mother. She didn't want to lose her...not for one moment. The feeling was similar to her father's, which made her want to hold on longer.

"For years, I have thought my own child was dead," the woman choked. "I had given up hope that Hyrule would be spared."

The female stepped back and looked into her daughter's eyes.

"Now," she continued, "here you are! Alive! And a hero! Your father would be so proud of you. If only you knew him."

Melody smiled as tears formed from the memory of Link that came to her mind.

"I know he is, mother," she told the woman. "He has told me so. He has also told me to make sure you knew how much he loved you."

Malon smiled and tried to stifle her cry.

"What a touching reunion," said a familiar, evil voice.

Everyone froze, then turned around.

There stood the King of Evil alive again and grinning from ear-to-ear.

_He's alive!?_ Melody exclaimed in thought. _How is that possible?!_

"Did you _really_ think you could defeat me that easily?" Ganondorf smirked with glee.

He raised his hand to them and showed the Triforce of Power. "It's going to take much more effort than that to stop me! As you can see, I still have the blessings of the gods upon me! As long as I bear this power, no one can stop me!"

The Gerudo raised his hands with a shout. A dark cloud hovered around him and it grew taller and bigger. Everyone stood back in fear and awe.

Then, the cloud evaporated and revealed a monster. It was covered in fur and its mane was like fire, flowing and blazing in red. Its paws appeared like hands with claws and stood on its hind legs. Its face had a pig snout with huge tusks and horns growing out from its head.

Its eyes were what Melody noticed: a fiery red and glaring straight at her. It was the same monster from her dreams and now it stood before her ten times more frightening than before!

_The Beast!_ She thought in horror.

"Ganon," she heard Zelda hiss.

"NOW, HEROINE OF LIGHT!" the beast called out with a huge growl. "YOU WILL DIE!"

* * *

><p>Izzy: OHMYGOSH! SO MUCH, RIGHT?!<p>

Roecliff: You had me on the edge of my seat!

Izzy: Caspen has returned to save the day! YAY! And Scrubs, Femur, and Fetch have joined the party once again and Zelda is safe! Not only that, but Malon is alive and has finally reunited with her long, lost daughter!

Roecliff: All is good!

Izzy: Except Ganondorf is still alive!

Roecliff: DIN!

Izzy: WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE! Anyway, Ganondorf is now Ganon, the pig creep...and he's ready to kill Melody this time! Will our Heroine of Light save the day? What will happen in this battle? Find out next chapter!

Oni: *walking in while holding his head* Oh...what happened?

Scrubs: *doing the same* Did we miss anything?

Izzy: ;O.O Din! Better run! *takes off running*

Roecliff: *shaking his head* R&R, please.


	46. The Beast Arises

Izzy: OMWORD! I don't believe it!

Oni: You BETTER! After what you just did to us, you coffee drugger!

Scrubs: Yeah! We had to reread that chapter just to understand what happened.

Izzy: Before I begin, I wish to give thanks to my dear beta, Truphan, for helping me out with this chapter! I hope you all like it!

Everyone: WE DO, TOO!

Izzy: Now! My dear readers, this is the moment we have ALL been waiting for! The final battle against darkness! It is time for Melody, the Heroine of Light, to face Ganon! What will happen in this battle!? Find out!

*silence in the room*

Izzy: Come on, guys! You know the drill!

Everyone *mumbles* In this chapter...

Disclaimer: I own so many ideas, it is ridiculous!

Roecliff: She also doesn't own Zelda!

* * *

><p>Ganon raised his gnarled paw to swipe at Melody. The girl moved quickly out of the way and held up her sword in defense even as her fear overcame her.<p>

_I can't...I can't do this!_ Melody exclaimed inside. _Why was I chosen!? For Din's sake, I never signed up for this! This was what I wanted to avoid!_

Then, she felt a hand on her shoulder: a gentle, caring hand.

"I know you are afraid of this guy," she heard Caspen's voice say, "but you have to face him just as much as you face your other fears. Beat this pig and save Hyrule. Do it for the people. Do it for Link."

When she heard her father's name, she felt renewed strength and her fear melted into courage. She looked up at the beast with determination.

_I will fight for you, father,_ she thought in her head. _For all of Hyrule!_

Ganon raced to the walls and slammed into each one with his body and tusks. The building rumbled and shook until glass windows shattered and pieces of the castle began to fall from above them.

Everyone dodged the falling rocks and glass. Soon, all but the floor was no more, which exposed them to the outside elements. Angry rain shot down like small missiles and stung Melody's skin. Her tunic became drenched to the point that it clung to her body. Thunder boomed in the sky with a loud cry. The flashing lightning seemed to bounce off of the Master Sword so much that its blade looked like it was on fire. The beast stopped and roared loudly.

The heroine looked back to check on her people. Malon, her mother, stood back from the scene. Zelda had a bow and an arrow with light surrounding the tip. Caspen stood ready with the Double Helix Sword in hand. Scrubs held a Deku Nut in his hand and looked up at the creature before them with strong, yellow eyes. Fetch growled while hunched down ready for the attack. Even Femur, who didn't believe in fighting, held his hammer up in defense.

Melody smiled in confidence. Darunia was right: friends are there to help you in the end. She turned back to Ganon.

"Darkness will fall!" she shouted. "You may have more power and carry the blessings of the gods, but you will be defeated in the name of Din, Nayru and Farore! Your time as king is over!"

Ganon roared with laughter and began to charge. An arrow of light, an energy beam, and a Deku Nut sailed to the beast's face simultaneously. The beast growled in pain.

Melody charged with her sword and did a horizontal strike at the creature's knee. Ganon screamed and looked down as he raised his paw again. He swung at her, but missed as Melody rolled right underneath him and slashed her weapon at the back of his leg. Another roar erupted from the boar as he attempted to turn around and attack her again, but a light arrow and a Deku Nut fired onto his head and stopped him.

"Take that, pig!" Scrubs shouted with confidence.

Ganon laughed and slammed his fists on the ground. The ground shook hard when suddenly, Stalfos and ReDead appeared from the stony surface.

"AHHHH!" Scrubs squealed.

"Not again!" Femur exclaimed.

Melody turned to find Queen Zelda surrounded by the Stalfos.

"Help the Queen!" she shouted to her fighting companions.

Caspen turned his attention to the monsters and jumped into the fray. Fetch and Scrubs leaped in as well. Femur moved himself closer to Malon.

Melody was left on her own with Ganon.

The beast charged at her with his tusks gleaming from the lightning strikes in the sky.

An idea sparked in the girl's head. And it had to do with catching runaway cows! She sheathed her sword and waited until the beast was close enough, then grabbed one of its tusks and held on until she got a good grip.

Ganon was not happy about this and started shaking his head to make her fall off. As the beast heaved his head backwards, she purposely let go and landed on top of his head. She then grabbed one of his horns tightly and made an attempt to pull out her sword.

However, the rain made the horn too slippery to hold onto and with a hard shake of Ganon's head, Melody began to slip off. She managed to pull her sword out, but she began to tumble off the beast's back. She grabbed his red mane and held tight. Even more enraged, Ganon stood up and tried to grab her from behind. She swung on his mane from one side to the other to avoid his clawed hands. As one hand reached for her, she swung her blade at its palm. The beast cried out and reared his body. Melody lost her grip and fell to the ground.

She landed on her back and gasped at the pain. She looked up in time to see Ganon raise his foot to stomp her. She rolled out of the way just before the foot shook the ground with a boom. Drenched in rain and sweat, Melody gathered her courage and ran to him again with a shout. The beast swung his paw and one of his claws gashed the girl's back shoulder.

Melody fell at the impact on her hands and knees. Red blood oozed from her shoulder and stained her tunic. The heroine really wished then she was a deity again. The pain was more severe than ever before. It was almost overbearing, but she refused to let it overtake her tired, wet body. She grunted as she stood back on her feet and glared at Ganon who was smirking at his success.

He raised his paw again...only to be stopped by another Deku Nut.

"Leave her alone, you pig bully!" she heard Scrubs shout from above.

She looked up and saw the small Deku holding two huge flowers which were keeping him afloat. He fired more nuts at Ganon, who just winced at the smacks of light.

Melody was about to stand up to take advantage of the distraction, but the beast was faster and grabbed Scrubs in midair.

"Pathetic little shrub!" he growled.

Scrubs squealed as Ganon squeezed the poor Deku. Then, there was the sound of wood cracking.

"NO!" Melody cried in horror.

She watched as the monster dropped her friend to the ground. Then, he kicked the broken Deku and sent him sliding toward the edge.

Malon noticed this and dived toward the Deku. She slid just in time to catch Scrubs and hold him close in her arms. She looked at her daughter with worry in her eyes.

Melody's heart broke. Tears spilled out as she looked at the crumpled little Deku in her mother's arms. Her friend...her closest friend...the one she counted on her whole journey...now damaged by the beast.

"Scrubs..." she whispered in a tremor.

Then, anger boiled in her blood as she turned to the beast. First, it was her father death, next was her village destroyed, then her own life ruined, and now...her best friend...hurt by that pig-headed tyrant! She stood us slowly since the pain still shot through her shoulder; nevertheless, she ignored the throb as she readied her sword.

"I hate you!" she cried out in fury. "I hate everything about you! It's time to end this! I will destroy you!"

Ganon laughed in mockery, which only made Melody even angrier.

"I don't normally do this," she suddenly heard Femur shout, "but that was my dear Deku friend! No one hurts my friends!"

Suddenly, Melody noticed Femur's voice change.

"TIME TO DIE!" the British Stalfos growled. "HAMMER TIME!"

She looked back and saw Femur in his wild rage smashing all the other Stalfos and Redeads that came his way. She did not expect that at all.

_Let others carry vengeance, not you,_ she heard Rauru's words echo in her head.

_I guess Femur can carry it instead of me,_ Melody breathed.

Melody turned her attention back at Ganon. She wasn't going to let this monster destroy Hyrule. Ignoring the pain in her shoulder once more, she raised her shield and charged at him again.

The beast tried to swipe her again, but the heroine swung her sword and slashed his wrist. Dark blood spilled out as the monster roared in pain and fury. Not wasting a moment, Melody stabbed deeply into his knee. The monster growled again.

"HEY! YOU FAT PIG! DOWN HERE!" she heard a shout from Caspen.

Offended by his comment, Ganon's eyes flared at the deity boy.

"Time to spice things up a bit!" the boy continued with a smirk. "It's about time you were roasted for dinner!"

The beast growled.

"Why don't you come down and give us a real fight, you stinky warthog!" Caspen challenged.

"A real fight?!" Ganon roared with laughter. "Very well! A real fight is what you'll get!"

Even though the beast had shrunk down from his titan size, he was still slightly taller than Caspen. He held out his gnarled hands and two giant swords appeared. The monster threateningly swung his blades before he momentarily took a defensive stance.

Melody looked at Caspen, and when their eyes met, they smiled in understanding. After all that time they had shared being prisoners in the Deity Mask, they could tell what each of them was thinking. In fact, they both knew what they were going to do.

With a quick nod to the other, they dashed to opposite ends so that Ganon was now between them.

The large boar quickly looked to either side in indecision. He wanted to kill both of them, but especially the girl. But just as he had turned to attack Melody, the two teens sprung to life.

With their gleaming swords held up high and ready for attack, Melody and Caspen yelled and then charged right at the beast.

Ganon sneered at the foolishness of the girl. She was running right to him and he would soon slash her down!

He steeled his eyes and raised his sword in anticipation, but then his eyes widened when the girl did an unexpected thing.

Less than a foot from the widest arc of his sword swing, Melody propelled herself upward and flipped completely over in midair while at the same time swinging her sword. And unbeknownst to Ganon, Caspen was doing the exact same move from the other side! Just as the two teens moved in parallel yet opposite arcs in their flight, each of their swords plunged into and carved deeply behind the beast's neck before they landed on the opposite side they had started.

Melody and Caspen didn't stop at hearing the painful roars of Ganon. They both twisted back around and repeated the exact same tactic before Ganon knew what had happened.

Ganon pealed in pain once more and stumbled to one side.

Melody glanced at the deity boy and once again they understood what to do. They readied themselves for a third run.

Once again, they attacked, but this time they aimed for the beast's back. Both of their swords dug out a large gash where the boar's lungs would be.

Ganon coughed out some blood and panted in pain. His eyes narrowed in anger. It was time to rid himself of these two insects! He hurriedly steadied himself on one knee.

He could see from his periphery that it looked like the teens were about to repeat the same strategy as their other attempts. Fools! He would be ready this time! He closed his eyes and perked his ears. And just when he could no longer hear their footsteps, he rapidly thrust both of his swords up and outward.

But instead of meeting flesh, Ganon's swords struck the Master Sword and the Double Helix Sword and he deflected their blows. Right after that, the beast stumbled to ground. But he pulled himself up enough to release more of his energy into the ground. Suddenly, just as the crumbled floor trembled, even more Redeads and Stalfos appeared! Finally, Ganon fell down again after being overcome with the effort and lay still.

Melody and Caspen were thrown off balance by Ganon's counter blows, and both of them landed hard before sliding across the floor.

Caspen was the first to recover. But just as he tried to pull himself up off the ground, the rest of the battle between Ganon's minions and Melody's friends was upon him. In the confusion, one of the Stalfos kicked the Double Helix out of the teen's hand just before the creature slammed his own large sword downward with the intent of cleaving the deity boy in two.

Melody groaned as she finally pulled herself up. It had taken her a few more moments than Caspen because she had hit her head slightly when she had fallen and was momentarily stunned. And her shoulder hurt even more. But she could see that she somehow had still managed to hang onto the Master Sword and her shield! She scanned around her and saw that Ganon hadn't moved from where she and Caspen had left him.

_We beat him?_ she immediately asked herself. _But I have to make sure that he can't recover!_

She raised her sword and shield and started toward the downed tyrant.

"Melody, look out!" she heard her mother scream.

The red-head twisted toward her mother's voice, only to see three Stalfos heading right to her!

Melody didn't hesitate. She pulled her shield closer and charged right at the creatures. Just before she felt she would make impact, she twisted slightly to the same side as her shield, leaned more forward into the shield, and plowed right into the Stalfos.

The girl grunted with the effort and winced at the pain shooting through her injured shoulder. Nevertheless, she was able to push the three creatures enough so that they ended up sprawled out in pieces at her feet.

Suddenly, she heard a screech!

She whipped back toward the other side of the battle room.

Caspen appeared inadvertently frozen as well as weaponless and one of the Redeads had grabbed his neck, wrapped itself around him and began to suck his energy.

She was just about to go to his aid when she heard more shouts from behind. She twisted back toward Ganon and frowned when there were even more Stalfos rushing toward her.

She raised the Master Sword defiantly and rushed toward them.

Steel clashed with steel as the red-headed girl swiped at her foes and the Stalfos countered her. The girl was aching all over at the effort but she could not stop!

Finally, she saw her chance. She lopped off one of the creatures' head and it ricocheted into another Stalfos and knocked it over. But then suddenly, Melody was barely able to duck to prevent a second Stalfos from doing the same thing to her head! But even as the girl was forced to squat, she took advantage of it. She sliced through the knees of several of her enemies and they crashed against several other Stalfos until they all were in a bony heap before her.

Though getting more and more exhausted, the girl hurried around the downed Stalfos and turned her attention back to Caspen to be sure he was alright.

She could see that he had gotten away from the Redead, but now was fighting with a Stalfos soldier!

They were struggling for control of Caspen's sword, and all the while the deity boy had to twist away from the blows coming from the Stalfos' sword. Then Caspen pulled back on his sword with all his might while purposely falling to ground, then rammed one of his feet into the Stalfos' bony stomach and pulled his leg toward his head. The force was enough to throw the Stalfos off balance and send it forward and flying over the deity boy.

But in the process, both Caspen and the Stalfos lost control over the sword and it was flung high into the air. Caspen twisted to his stomach and bolted off of the floor in pursuit of his sword.

Melody watched as she saw the sword clang to the floor before it rapidly slid toward the edge of what used to be a wall of this highest room in the castle. And before the deity teen could reach it, the Double Helix Sword fell into the abyss below!

The red-head then heard movement behind her. She brought her attention back to Ganon again. But then, her heart leapt a bit in fear.

He was stirring!

She had to act fast!

She raised the Master Sword and charged at the evil King. She was almost upon him and then turned her sword with the intention of plunging it right into the King's chest. But at the last moment, Ganon's sword sliced at her.

Melody hitched in a scream yet blocked the blow with her shield. The vibration from the evil King's sword sent lightning-like pain through her shoulder and she inadvertently lowered the shield.

In a flash, Melody could feel Ganon's claws digging into her now unprotected injured shoulder. The girl screamed with the pain while desperately trying to pull away.

Ganon only tightened his grip and lifted the girl up as easily as skewered meat.

"This battle is over," the boar sneered through his tusks as he locked eyes on the girl.

Melody could barely respond because she was now dizzy with the pain.

All of the sudden, Ganon turned slightly toward a loud howl. Before he could react, Fetch had dug his angry fangs into Ganon's back. The evil King cried out in pain and inadvertently threw the girl high up in the air and away from him in order to try to reach the Wolfos.

Melody felt her body flying through the air before she fell with a thud. She groaned and tried to move. But she couldn't! She was wedged between two chunks of what was once part of the wall. If she wasn't hurting so much, she would be panicking!

Then the red-head heard a panged squeal and then a loud thud and knew what had happened.

"Fetch!" she screamed in worry.

She struggled even harder to pull herself free, but her injured shoulder wasn't letting her.

A heartbeat later, she felt pressure and then pain around her waist. And then just as quickly, she felt her body being lifted upward again!

She knew just by the smell that Ganon had her in his clutches again! But moments later, the evil King slammed her against the more open floor so that he would have enough room to slay her with his sword.

"I am tired of this!" the evil King growled as his red eyes flared as he held her down with one of his feet.

Melody's head was spinning so wildly that she could hardly hear him, much less resist him.

ARRGGHHH!

The red-headed girl frowned in confusion but turned to the sound nevertheless. She could barely see through her blurred vision that Caspen was now on Ganon's back and slamming his fists into the beast's still open wound!

Ganon howled in pain as he flailed his arms upward and behind him with his attempts to get Caspen off of him.

But Caspen only dug his knees deeper into the beast's sides and hit even harder into the raw flesh.

Ganon then violently threw himself backward and onto the ground. The blow stunned Caspen and the boy lay still.

Melody hadn't seen what had happened to the deity boy. She was in so much pain, she could barely move. Then, she had felt something bump her in the side. She tiredly looked down.

It was a jar of red potion.

It only had a quarter of a cup inside, which she knew wouldn't do enough to completely heal her, but enough to help her get back into battle. She trailed her eyes to where it came from.

Zelda was a few feet away fighting a Stalfos. The Queen looked to the warrior and nodded as if saying that it was hers to consume.

Thanks gleamed in Melody's eyes. She picked up the bottle and gulped down the last of it.

But before she could feel its full effects, she grunted at the force she knew could only be from Ganon.

She looked up through her clearing vision and smelled the evil King's rotten breath.

Ganon looked back down at Melody with a grin of satisfaction.

"Vengeance will still be mine!" he growled as he raised his sword to strike her.

Suddenly, a light arrow shot into view and embedded into the beast's head. The creature reared its head in pain.

ARRGHHHH!

Melody knew that battle cry!

Then, Caspen leaped at the creature and shoved him down to the ground with all of his might. The deity boy stood up straight and looked quickly at the red-head.

"Now, Melody!" he demanded. "Kill him! End this once and for all!"

Melody didn't hesitate. She ran and leaped high in the air. She pointed her sword downward and shouted as she thrust her sword into Ganon's chest with the finishing blow.

Ganon cried out in pain and rage.

"NOW, SAGES!" Zelda shouted. "I call upon you to seal away this monster once and for all!"

Then, Melody saw the light medallion flee from her pouch and fly to Ganon. More colored medallions appeared and surrounded the beast. All of them became lights and spun around him. A portal appeared underneath and began to pull the King of Evil right into it. Ganon roared in fury as he tried to claw his way out of it.

"CURSE YOU ALL!" he cried out. "I WON'T BE EASILY DEFEATED! YOU WILL ALL PAY WHEN I RETURN! I SWEAR IT!"

With one final roar, Ganon disappeared inside the Sacred Realm.

The portal closed and disappeared as well, and the different colored lights flew out of sight.

The dark clouds that had held the sky ransom faded away and a beautiful sunrise was finally able to escape. The deep, warm colors of the sun seemed to be painted on the horizon; and the song of morning chirped out of the birds flying through the air.

Drenched and exhausted, Melody fell on her knees with relief. At last, she felt at ease knowing that darkness was defeated.

"He's gone," she said quietly. "Ganondorf is defeated! Hyrule...is safe again..."

* * *

><p>Izzy: VICTORY!<p>

Everyone: YAY!

Oni: What about my sword!?

Scrubs: WAIT! WHAT ABOUT ME!?

Izzy: Oh, yeah...heh heh...um...yeah! Scrubs has fallen in battle... Oni lost his sword...but Ganon is defeated!

Everyone: YAY!

Oni: (T_T) Really!

Scrubs: No one cares! :'(

Izzy: What will happen in the next chapter!? Find out...in the next chapter!

Roecliff: Okay, readers! PLEEEEEEEEESSSSEEEE! R&R! Authoress wants to hear from you! PLEEEEEEEESSSSSEEEE (or she will hurt me...)

Izzy: WILL NOT!


	47. Of Broken Hearts and Promises

Izzy: 'Tis bittersweet for this chapter!

Scrubs: Hey, where's Mr. Jerkface?

Femur: He said that he already previewed this chapter and decided to not show up today.

Izzy: More like intruded...He wasn't suppose to see it yet!

Roecliff: Does it matter now? Let's see what happens in this chapter!

Izzy: Right! Summary! Melody and company have just defeated Ganondorf!

Everyone: Horray!

Izzy: Find out what happens next!

Disclaimer: For heaven's sake! I want my cookies!

Roecliff: For the last time, Izzy! Get with the program on the disclaimer!

Izzy: *sigh* Fine! I don't own Zelda...

* * *

><p>Melody felt a gentle hand touch her good shoulder and she looked up at Caspen in his giant deity form. He smiled at her reassuringly.<p>

"You did it," he noted. "You defeated the beast. You saved Hyrule."

"Couldn't have done it without you," the girl reminded him with a smile.

"But of course!" the boy smirked. "You couldn't even survive without me."

Melody smiled even more. She was very grateful for all that he had done for her against Ganondorf.

"I must say, that was a mighty battle!" she heard Femur say proudly in his normal, British-speaking self. "The last one that I will ever battle in my life!"

"I was impress," Melody told the Stalfos. "You were really bold and brave out there."

"Trust me miss," Femur replied. "That took guts!"

Caspen shook his head with a sigh.

Melody knew what he was thinking: _What guts? He doesn't have any!_

The Heroine of Light stood up and winced at the pain in her left shoulder. The gash from Ganon's claw was still present and reminded her of how blessed she was by Nayru that she was even still alive. And if it hadn't been for her friends...

Then, she remembered.

"Scrubs!" she exclaimed as she turned to where her friend was.

Malon was still cradling the wounded Deku in her arms. Melody rushed up to her and knelt down.

"Scrubs!" she said again. "Scrubs, are you okay?"

Malon handed the Deku over to her daughter.

"He is badly wounded," the woman informed the girl. "I don't think he'll last long."

"Femur!" Melody shouted. "Please tell me that you have more potions!"

"I'm out of them, miss," the Stalfos replied regrettably. "I used the last one for wounded prisoners."

Melody's heart dropped. Her own friend was dying and she didn't even have the means to save him! Her fairy was used on her when Ashasti killed her, she used the last of her Chateau Romani to heal her wounds during her battle against Ganondorf, and the last of Zelda's red potion just barely heal her to finish off the beast. Now, she couldn't save Scrubs!

Sadness filled her heart as she looked into the Deku's eyes.

"Scrubs?" she whispered.

Scrubs' body was cracked and broken and a few of his leaves began to wither. He coughed and spat sappy ooze, then looked up at Melody.

"M...Me...Melody?" he breathed weakly.

"Shhh..." Melody said gently as she brushed his leaves. "It's going to be okay."

"Melody," the Deku said again. "You...you did it. The Dark King..." He coughed a couple times. "...he's gone. You saved...Hyrule."

"_We_ did it," Melody corrected. "All of us did together. I couldn't have done it if it weren't for that."

"I...I...I'm really sorry," Scrubs said sadly. "I...I wish that..."

"Don't be sorry," the girl interrupted as more tears fell from her eyes. "You...you did great...my brave little warrior."

Scrubs smiled weakly.

"We had...a great adventure together...didn't we?" he asked. "The best adventure ever."

Melody choked. She couldn't bear him saying these things when he was dying.

"And you..." the Deku continued, "you have been... the greatest friend...that any Deku...could have."

The little warrior held up his little hand to Melody's wet cheek.

"Thank you..." he whispered, "for being...my best friend..."

Scrubs arm fell as his body became limp and his breathing stopped.

"Scrubs?" Melody asked unbelieving. "Scrub?! SCRUBS!"

Realizing her friend was dead, she pulled him in closer and buried her head in his dry leafed hair. Her tears fell in harsh droplets as she sobbed. He was gone! Just like that! Just like her father...her people...her family and friends from Meladon...and she couldn't do anything about it!

"I am sorry for your loss," she heard Zelda say sadly. "I know he was a dear friend to you."

Melody pulled away and looked at Scrubs' still body. She laid him down and just stared at him. She wiped her tears away and sighed. She wanted to sing the song of the dead, but her throat was too parched and sore from crying and screaming so much.

_If I can't sing it, maybe I can play it instead,_ she thought.

She pulled out the white ocarina she had gotten from Garen and began to play. The music was soothing and peaceful. It calmed her soul and it was as if she could hear the words being sung as she played.

She stopped playing with a gasp as she noticed Scrubs body.

It was glowing!

The light around it grew brighter by the second until Melody was blinded by it. Then, the glow faded and the red-head found herself looking into a mask.

A Deku Mask!

It floated before her for a few seconds before falling to the ground.

_What in Farore?_ Melody wondered.

Then, she looked to Scrubs and gasped.

A boy laid there in place of the Deku. He had matted brown hair and a scarf around his forehead. He looked about her age and wore familiar clothing.

_Meladonian_ clothing.

The heroine knew_ exactly_ who it was.

"Tiko?" she whispered in awe.

The boy fluttered his eyes opened, which were a dark green. He gazed at her deeply.

"Mel?" he said softly as he looked at her curiously. "Mel, is that you?"

Her heart leaped with joy! He was alive! Her best friend was alive!

"Tiko!" she exclaimed as she grabbed him in a hug while grimacing at the pain that still remained in her shoulder.

The boy sat up while the heroine held him close, then embraced her as well. For a long while, they held each other.

Melody couldn't believe it! Her best friend was still alive! This whole time...and as a Deku...

Frustration swept over her as she jerked away from Tiko and punched him in the arm.

"OW!" Tiko he cried out while rubbing his arm. "What was that for?"

"You nut-head!" Melody scolded. "What were you thinking?! Scaring me like that!"

"What are you talking about?" Tiko asked, confused at what just happened.

"All this time, I thought you were dead!" Melody told him. "I thought you were a goner! I thought I would never see you again! How could you do this to me?!"

"I...I didn't know!" the dark-haired boy stammered in reply. "All I remember was facing Ashasti back at Meladon and getting hit in the head! Then, I had this weird dream that I was a Deku Scrub going to Hyrule with a giant deity girl..." He paused a moment and frantically glanced all around him. "...aaaaannnnnddd I would like to know where we are and how we got here!"

Melody smiled. Realizing that Tiko didn't even remember anything that happened to him as a Deku made her feel more forgiving. She guessed from his story that he had memory loss...or maybe was even brainwashed...and that the dream was the memory of Scrubs.

"You're in Hyrule," Melody answered. "And as for your second question...it's a long story."

"Indeed, dear boy," Femur interjected. "You sure have been through a lot over the last several months."

Tiko's green eyes widened when he saw the Stalfos. He leaped up to his feet with his fists up.

"Stay back, Stalfos!" he exclaimed. "I will fight you to the death!"

"I'd rather you didn't," Femur said in defense. "Death is not a fun thing to watch!"

"Tiko, it's okay!" Melody laughed as she stood up from her spot. "Femur here is a friend...and a pacifist."

"Femur?" Tiko asked with confusion. "A Stalfos that's a pacifist?"

"And has aichnophobia!" Femur mentioned. "The name is Femur Humor Fracture, at your service!"

"Humor!" Melody asked in surprise. "Is that why everyone called you Mr. Funny Bones?"

"Yes," Femur admitted. "Though, I don't see why. I'm not funny."

Fetch barked as he rushed up to Tiko and leaped onto his chest.

"Whoa!" the boy exclaimed as the Wolfos started giving him sloppy kisses.

"And that is Fetch," Melody told him. "You two have a history together."

"He does seem friendly," Tiko remarked as he patted the Wolfos' head.

Fetch hopped down from the boy and approached Femur.

Melody turned to Malon and Zelda.

"Tiko, there's also someone else I want you to meet," she said as she pulled Tiko by the hand to the two women. "This is Malon...my real mother."

Tiko politely nodded to Malon.

"Hello, ma'am," he said respectfully. "It is great to meet you. You're daughter...is...is great! You two look so much alike!"

"Thank you, Tiko," the older woman chuckled. "It is nice to meet you as well."

"And this," Melody said, pointing to the Queen, "is Queen Zelda."

Tiko looked at the blonde woman in her green tunic with surprise. He fell to his knees with a bow.

"Your majesty!" he said humbly. "It's an honor to meet you in person."

Melody giggled at seeing Tiko make himself look ridiculous in front of the Queen.

Zelda giggled herself.

"The pleasure is all mine," she replied. "Any friend of the Heroine of Light is a friend of mine."

Tiko looked up at Melody.

"Heroine of Light?" he asked her.

Melody nodded.

"My father...he was Link, the Hero of Time."

"_The_ Link!?" Tiko said in awe as he quickly stood up. "No way! You're the daughter of the hero!? That is awe..."

Tiko stopped when he finally noticed Melody's wounded shoulder.

"Mel!" he exclaimed. "You're bleeding! What happened?"

Melody smiled proudly.

"I was fighting the Dark King, Ganondorf," she replied.

"Ganondorf?" Tiko asked in shock. "He was back?! I thought he was sealed away."

"Ashasti released him," Melody informed the boy, "but thanks to some help from..."

Then, she remembered someone.

_Caspen._

The red-head hurriedly scanned around for the deity…but he was nowhere.

"Caspen?" she wondered aloud.

"Who's Caspen?" Tiko asked.

Melody didn't answer. All she knew was that, once again, the deity boy left her...without saying goodbye!

_Where is he?_ She thought.

Without saying another word, she turned and took off to the stairs and left everyone behind.

* * *

><p>Melody rushed down the halls of the castle and looked back and forth through the other corridors as she passed them.<p>

_Where is he?_ She wondered frantically.

Passing the third hall, she caught a glimpse of white.

She looked again and found Caspen still in his Oni attire and walking towards a large door.

"Caspen!" she shouted.

He stopped, but didn't turn around.

"Where are you going?" she asked him while trying to catch her breath.

"Home," he replied solemnly. "To where I belong."

"But...but why?" she asked in confusion.

"I did what I had to do," he told her. "I promised that I would help you get rid of the person that caused you all this trouble. I have fulfilled it for you as promised. You got what you want: a family, a home, a new life, even your best friend. As for me..."

He paused. "...I will live my life the way I want. Just as it should have been."

"But...but you don't have to leave..." she said sadly.

Caspen turned to her and his white pupil-less eyes were glaring at her in anger.

"You said so yourself that you couldn't wait for me to leave," he spoke in frustration, "and I promised you I would! You got what you wanted! Can't you be happy with that?!"

Melody tried her best to hide her tears. She couldn't believe it! Even though she told him to leave her mind be when they were stuck together under the Fierce Deity Mask's power, he still seemed to know what she was thinking. He still somehow heard all those cruel things she said about him. She felt horrible.

"Now, if you would excuse me," Caspen continued sharply, "I will leave you to your life of peace and happiness. I hope the goddesses bless you for the rest of your life."

With that, he turned from her and walked away.

Melody watched him and realized how she had treated him so unfairly. He had done so much for her: protected her from being discovered, given her the techniques to protect herself, and, even as annoying as he had been, he was always there to help and comfort her. To hear his voice kept her mind at ease, even when she didn't feel like hearing it. His voice...a peace to her rushing, raging mind. Now, he was leaving her! His kind eyes, his gentle touch, his tender voice...leaving her. She couldn't stand it anymore. She didn't want him to go. The thought that she would never see him again was too much to bear…

"Caspen! Wait!" she cried out.

He stopped and turned back to her. She ran up to him with tears falling from her face and stopped about five feet away from him. He looked sternly at her.

"What?" he said harshly.

Melody did her best to try and talk through the tears choking her.

"Please don't go!" she pleaded.

"And why not?!" Caspen spat. "Wasn't that what you wanted? Me out of your life?"

"Do you know how quiet it's been since you left my head?" she told him.

Caspen appeared confused, yet replied in frustration, "What are you talking about?"

"It feels so empty!" she continued. "I can't stand it when I can't hear your nagging voice in my head! I...I miss hearing you!"

Caspen's face relaxed when he could tell her words were not meant in insult; and his eyes widened slightly in realization.

"You can go anywhere you want," she continued through her bitter tears. "You can go back to Termina. You can go anywhere in the world. Just please! I beg of you! Don't leave me here! Don't leave me alone! "

Caspen began to approach her slowly.

"You may have driven me crazy and made me frustrated...but you were there even when I didn't need you. You always knew my thoughts and feelings...How can I go back after that? Please! I..."

She took a deep breath. By this time, Caspen was a few inches away from her. His height made Melody look up at him.

"...I love you," she whispered, then said louder, "I love you so much. I love you with all of my heart! The last thing I want is for you to abandon me! Please! Don't leave me!"

Caspen grabbed the sides of the Fierce Deity Mask and pulled. A bright light shone about him, and Melody had to momentarily squint her eyes. But when the light faded, she immediately saw Caspen's dark black hair partially falling into his pure silver eyes. She didn't even notice when he dropped the mask, or that it had clopped on the ground and echoed in the hall.

Then, he placed his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. He placed his other hand upon her cheek and leaned into her face before he gently pressed his lips against hers. Not caring about the pain from her wounded shoulder, she wrapped her tired, sore arms around his neck as she welcomed the kiss so tenderly. It felt so passionate and yet pure...and full of love. She wanted it to last forever.

She felt him gently pull away and she looked deeply into his eyes. He rubbed away a fallen tear from her wet cheeks with his thumb.

"Melody," he said to her softly. "That's a promise."

* * *

><p>Izzy: FAN GIRLS GO CRAZY!<p>

Scrubs: Wait! I'm not really a Deku?!

Izzy: Truth Revealed!

Roecliff: Nice reference!

Izzy: Okay! It is official! The secret is out! Scrubs is really Tiko with memory loss and Caspen and Melody have finally confessed their love to each other!

Scrubs: Yuck!

Izzy: Is this the end? Find out next chapter!

Scrubs: There's more?!

Roecliff: R&R!


	48. Epilogue

Izzy: Can't you believe this is the last chapter!?

Roecliff: *sniffing* This story was awesome!

Scrubs: Why does it have to end?! *sobs*

Izzy: Guys! You're going to get my papers wet! Anyway! So, Tiko is alive, Scrubs was really Tiko, and Caspen and Melody have confessed their love for one another. Let's read in this Epilogue what happens next!

Oni: Not going to miss out on this one!

Scrubs: DIN! HE'S BACK!

Oni: *removes mask and becomes Caspen* Don't worry. I'm a new man now!

Scrubs: *wiping his forehead* Phew!

Roecliff: And that's only because you and Melody-

Disclaimer: For the LAST TIME! I don't own Zelda! DISCLAIMER OVER! YESSSSSSS

Roecliff: (T_T) Oh, brother...

* * *

><p>After many months of rebuilding and recovering, Hyrule became prosperous and looked even better than before. The newly built town was now bustling with Hylians, Gorons, and Zoras. Markets and shops were set up in all corners along with a milk bar. A fountain was the centerpiece of Castle Town Square right before the very gates of the reconstructed castle.<p>

The word of Melody's heroic deeds against Ganondorf was spread across all of Hyrule. Even her companions were praised for their devotion to save the world from the Evil King's tyranny.

Tiko began to gain his memories back and informed Melody about what happened with his battle against Ashasti. He recalled after he was hit in the head that he saw the warlock placing an object on his face. Then, when he woke up, he was a Deku Scrub. The first things he remembered in his Deku form was that he was fighting someone, that his home and family were destroyed, and that there was a quest to Hyrule to meet Princess Zelda. It was because of these things that he thought that he was a warrior and made up stories about how he fought many monsters in his lifetime.

With the assistance of Malon, Tiko had even transformed the old Kokiri Forest into something even more beautiful: he turned it into a brand new village that he named Ordon Village. Malon built a new ranch in that village, but she decided to use goats instead of cows which she felt would yield tastier and more abundant milk.

Femur and Fetch were accepted into Hyrule's society as the famous Monster Duo. Femur even introduced his family to the people, who were very glad to meet such a peaceful, kind group of skeleton people. Fetch was more popular among the children as they had never been near a Wolfos before.

As for Caspen and Melody, they were held in the most esteem by all. Both deity and heroine fought bravely against Ganondorf single-handedly. If it weren't for the pair, Hyrule would still be shrouded in darkness.

Not only that, but the two were married in the spring after the construction of Hyrule was complete.

The wedding, many have said, was the best wedding they have ever seen. It was filled with such passion and romance between the two and many thought that they were reading each other's minds throughout the whole celebration. During the reception, Tiko honored the two by having the musicians play the Sky and Earth Dance. Luckily, Caspen knew the dance and did it with his new bride. Melody even admitted afterward that the Happy Mask Salesman was right about one thing:

The curse of the deity mask wasn't just a curse.

It was truly a blessing.

* * *

><p>The sun was at high noon in Hyrule. It was a lovely summer day and Melody was loading the last of her supplies on Starfire. She was nearby the south bridge of Castle Town with her mother, Tiko, Femur and Fetch.<p>

"Where are you going, exactly?" Tiko asked.

"Back to Termina," Melody replied. "We had promised some old friends that we would return to see them when the curse was broken."

"You do keep your promises well," Malon complimented.

"Oh, yes, madam!" Femur spoke up in his British voice. "She always kept true to her word as a warrior!"

Melody grinned.

"And what will you do, Femur?" she asked.

"Well, since the war is over," Femur replied, "I'm going to head home with my family and be my own self again." He paused in thought. "However, I think I have been changed from this excruciating experience, so being my own self will not be so."

Melody smiled and shook her head.

"Still logical as usual," she pointed out.

Fetch approached Melody and looked at her with his brown eyes. The girl chuckled and patted the Wolfos on the head.

"What about you, old boy?" she asked the silver canine.

Fetch gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek and ran back to Tiko before nudging him at his side.

"I see," Melody guessed.

"Yes, indeed," Femur said. "He has certainly grown an attachment to our friend here." He turned to Tiko. "You take good care of him for me, understood?"

"I will, Femur," Tiko assured him.

"So, I hear that the queen has made you the mayor of Ordon," Melody announced to Tiko. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks," Tiko beamed. "It is a highly respectable position."

"For a 'highly respectable' person?" the red-head teased.

"I am," Tiko said in defense. "I restored the woods, didn't I? That's something to be respected about!"

"Calm down, Tiko," Melody laughed. "I'm only messing with you."

Tiko sighed.

"Well, your teasing is better than Caspen's" he mumbled.

"Oh, don't take anything _he_ says so hard," the girl mentioned.

"But you did say that he didn't like me," the dark-haired boy replied. "I don't even think an apology is enough for him."

"I said that he didn't like you as a Deku Scrub," Melody reminded. "That doesn't mean he hates you."

"He certainly doesn't show it," Tiko pointed out.

"He's just...reserved, that's all," Melody assured. "He's usually like that. Just give him a chance. I'm sure he'll come around to you."

"I hope so," he sighed.

"Here comes the queen!" Femur announced.

Melody looked back toward the town and saw Zelda walking toward them. She was guarded by Scevik and a few other guards carrying spears. Nearby was Caspen with an empty brown bag on his shoulder and his mask in his hand. When he caught Melody's gaze, he smiled brightly. The red-head smiled back.

When Queen Zelda was close enough, everyone at the bridge bowed to her in respect.

The queen laughed.

"My dear friends," she spoke with a giggle. "I came to you as an equal. No need to bow to me."

Everyone stood back up and kept their attention on Zelda.

"I only came to wish Melody goodbye and good fortune on her journey," the queen continued. "After all, the way to Termina is difficult."

"Not as difficult as the last time, for certain," the heroine replied with a small bow. "All will be well, I'm sure. I just hope that Hyrule does well while we're gone."

"There won't be any trouble," Zelda assured. "The Sacred Realm is sealed tight this time."

Caspen tied the bag that he had onto his horse and placed the Fierce Deity Mask safely inside it. Then, he turned to the group behind him.

"Tiko?" he said.

The Meladonian boy looked at Caspen nervously. "Yes?"

Caspen approached him while rubbing his neck uncomfortably.

"Listen," he said, "I...I just...I just want to apologize for my behavior towards you...and for my rude behavior in the past. The things I said and did were wrong. You deserved better from me. Also..." He paused for a moment to gain his thoughts. "I also want to thank you for all your help...even though you didn't know about it."

Tiko grinned.

"Let's leave that behind us!" Tiko declared calmly. "What happened in the past was only known by Scrubs the Deku...and you are forgiven."

Caspen held out his hand to Tiko.

"Truce?" he asked.

Tiko took the black-haired boy's hand.

"Truce and a start of a new friendship," he told Caspen.

The deity boy grinned.

"Agreed," he replied.

Melody smiled softly. After many months of bickering and back-talking behind each other's backs during her journey, they finally made up.

Caspen released Tiko's hand and returned to his horse. He mounted and turned to Melody.

_Ready?_ She read in his silver eyes.

_Ready,_ she replied through her blue eyes.

She hugged her mother and climbed onto Starfire.

"Farewell, both of you," Zelda spoke. "May Her Grace protect you on your journey."

"Come home safely!" Malon said.

Melody nodded to the group and turned to the south.

"HYAH!" she called out.

Starfire neighed and reared up before bolting away from the castle. Melody could hear Caspen gaining up behind her.

They raced across the field of Hyrule toward the Faron Woods. For the first time since she arrived in the land, Melody noticed how beautiful the landscape was. The grass flourished in growth and color. The trees were full of life with their leaves hanging in the warm sun. The sky was a wondrous bright blue. The land looked fresh and new!

The heroine gently pulled on Starfire's mane and the mare dutifully stopped. The girl then gazed at the beauty around her.

"What is it, Melody?" Caspen asked as he pulled up his horse beside hers.

She turned to the black-haired boy who was looking at her curiously.

"Just noticing how grand Hyrule looks," she replied.

Caspen glanced around as well.

"Yeah," he agreed. "Hyrule does look better than it did the last time."

"Hyrule is truly safe," Melody stated.

"Ah, not quite," Caspen informed her. "We still have a villain that can break free again."

"Not for a very long time," the red-head reminded him. "Zelda did say that the seal on the Sacred Realm was tighter this time."

"Let's hope," the deity boy sighed.

Melody only smiled and looked up to the sky.

_We did it, father,_ she thought. _We saved Hyrule. My promise to you is done. I pray that someday I will see you again._

Then, Melody grinned mischievously as she gleamed at Caspen.

"Wanna race to Termina?" she challenged.

Caspen looked at her with a grin.

"I know what's going through your head," he warned. "You can't trick me like you can with Tiko-"

"HYAH!" she shouted.

Starfire bolted away. Melody turned around to see Caspen's stunned face.

"Didn't see that one coming, did you?!" she yelled back with a big grin on her face.

"You're going to regret that!" Caspen declared with a devious grin.

Melody only laughed and continued on her way to Termina with full speed. She could hear her husband trying to catch up from behind.

* * *

><p>He stirred from his unconsciousness. He could feel the desert heat beating upon his shoulders like fire. Shifting slightly, he noticed that he was restricted by cuffs and chains. He saw the stone ground and growled.<p>

He knew where he was: The Mirror Chamber in Arbiter's Grounds.

He snarled as he glanced up. Standing a few feet away from him were six ghostly people who had taken the forms of old men. They dressed in ghostly robes and glared back at him with pure white eyes.

They were the Sages of Hyrule. The cursed beings who sealed him up in the Sacred Realm! Now, they were standing stand before him in their true forms.

He tried to pull at the chains that held him against the rock at his back, but they were too strong. Sage magic! He was trapped!

"Ganondorf, Gerudo Lord!" the Sage of Water called out. "You are charged with tyranny, deceit, thievery, and murder to all the citizens of Hyrule! By the powers bestowed upon us as keepers and protectors of Hyrule, we sentence you to death by execution!"

"Execution?" Ganondorf questioned with a grin. "You can't kill a god!"

"No on survives against the Sword of Sages!" the Sage of Light declared.

"It is the tool of which you will be punished with," the Sage of Shadow informed the Gerudo.

"The one thing that will turn your soul back into the light," the Sage of the Spirit finished.

_What in Din's Fire are they talking about?_ The Gerudo wondered.

Then, he saw it. Rising before the Sage of Water was a brilliant white blade. It was meant as a two-handed blade with a unique design for a hilt.

Yet, Ganondorf recognized it right off.

"That blade..." he said softly to himself, then raised his voice in frustration, "That isn't _your_ blade! Where did you get it!?"

"ENOUGH!" the Sage of Fire shouted. "You had enough to say to last you a lifetime!"

The Gerudo Lord growled. How _dare_ he talk to a king like that! He won't put up with that at all! As for the blade, he _knew_ where it _really_ came from. He hadn't seen that wretched creature in years. He almost forgot about her! Where _did_ she hide anyway? No matter. He would find her. And when he did find her, he would make her regret thwarting his plans to get the Triforce for himself! She _would_ pay!

With his magic, the Sage of Water raised the deadly blade to strike him. The sword flew at Ganondorf with full speed and struck him in the chest.

He felt the pain shoot through him. Unlike the Master Sword that weakened him so, this blade was trying to tear him apart! He grunted and gasped, then collapsed from exhaustion. His mind whirled with pain as the sword attempted to do its work: to turn him into light and vanish from the world forever! He knew that both mortal and immortal beings would die at the slightest touch of it. The sword...the Sword of the Guardian...was supposed to be the death of him.

Suddenly, he felt his hand vibrate. His body felt renewed strength. The sword wasn't killing him. It was empowering him! He opened his eyes and grinned.

"_Fools!_" he said with malice.

He reared up with a shout and pulled his left arm to free himself from the sages' chains.

He smirked at the Sages' shocked faces as he broke free of the first chain. He held up his hand to show his glorious prize: the part of the Triforce which gave him Power.

"You see this?!" the Gerudo King shouted. "With this power, I will _never_ die!"

"Impossible!" the Sage of the Forest exclaimed. "That's shouldn't be in his possession!"

Ganondorf began to pull the second chain. It didn't take as much effort and, at last, he was free.

Without a second thought, he charged at the Water Sage. Bringing forth power from the blade still in his chest, the Gerudo grabbed the sage by the throat and instantly destroyed him into light.

The other sages stepped back and gasped in fear.

Ganondorf growled menacingly. He then reached for the sword hilt and pulled it out of his chest without as much as a twinge of pain. He then glared darkly at the sages.

"Who _else_ will defy me!?" he declared.

He then noticed the sages had turned from him and they lifted their arms toward the mirror behind them. It tilted and began to glow. It shot forth light and the symbols from the mirror reflected on the rock pillar behind the Gerudo.

Suddenly, he felt a great pull from that rock.

"No! NOOOOOOOO!" he cried.

The force was so strong that it ripped the blade out of his hand and vanished within the mysterious portal.

Ganondorf struggled more to break free, but to no avail. Before his very eyes, the world he once knew disappeared before him.

The last thing he thought was this:

_I will return! I will have Hyrule bow to my power! I will be King forever!_

* * *

><p>Izzy: AAHHHHHH!<p>

Scrubs: Pig Head is back!

Izzy: All remember Twilight Princess where he was executed? This was how it really happened!

Roecliff: *ahem*

Izzy: Fine! It's something I added in! But that's besides the point! Hyrule is back to normal, Ordon Village is built, Caspen and Tiko make up, and the deity and the warrior are now a happily married couple!

Everyone: Awwwwwww!

Caspen: Yeah! Go me!

Izzy: Vain much?

Roecliff: R&R for reals this time! Authoress likes reviews!


	49. The End

Izzy: (crying into tissue) Oh! This is horrible!

Roecliff: What?!

Izzy: The story...it's...oooovvveeeeeeerrrrrr! (blows nose into tissue)

Roecliff: Okay, okay! Enough with the drama! Besides, remember that cliff hanger you left us? About the Sword of the Guardian? You're going to write about that next, right?

Izzy: Uhhhhhhh...

Roecliff: I don't like that look...

Izzy: (grimacing) Well...you see...I won't be writing that for a long time...

Roecliff: O.O WHAT!? ARE YOU SERIOUS!?

Izzy: Yeah...

Roecliff: Then why put it in there!?

Izzy: One: because I do plan to write it in the future. Two: I wanted to leave everyone hanging! *^-^

Roecliff: Cruel Authoress!

Izzy: I know! I live up to it!

Roecliff: Explain why you won't write it?

Izzy: I'm making my original story!

Roecliff: HUH?!

Izzy: Yeah! I want to be a writer! I'm writing a book right now as we speak.

Roecliff: Since WHEN!?

Izzy: Since all my chapters for this story were typed up!

Roecliff: You have got to be kidding!

Izzy: BTW, Folks! I want to give a big thanks to the people who have been a part of my story! First was the influence from a fellow believer in LinkXMalon and my inspiration to write this story again...FlamingHazleGreen1806!

Roecliff: YES!

Izzy: Also great thanks to two betas who helped make this story possible...HenrytheWise and Truephan!

Roecliff: You guys were awesome! Thanks for the support!

Izzy: I also want to thank another fellow authoress who is also my favorite older sister who helped me with the making of this story...PhyllisJoyWolfe!

Roecliff: As if none of us knew that!

Izzy: Last, but not least, I want to thank you all for reviewing my story and making me feel positive about it! This has been one of the best stories I have ever written on fanfiction! Thanks!

Roecliff: Hopefully, not the last!

Izzy: Hopefully. All right! This is the closing of the story! Thank you all for your reviews! Til next time!

Roecliff: See ya!


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